


Hopscotch

by OhioWolf94



Category: Fright Night (2011)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Its A Hot Mess, M/M, Multi, My First AO3 Post, took liberties with the vampire lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:55:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23179579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhioWolf94/pseuds/OhioWolf94
Summary: Charley escapes from Jerry in the basement. Life goes on. The only problem, is that many months later him and his mom move back to Vegas and they find out their ex-neighbor is still alive...as much as he can be. Now Charley has to learn to live with Jerry, as he decided Charley deserved to live since he did the unthinkable and actually escaped from Jerry.Oh, and Charley is trying to hold down a job while also socializing with the undead. Fun times for all.
Relationships: Charley Brewster/Amy Peterson/Peter Vincent, Charley Brewster/Jerry Dandrige, Charley Brewster/Jerry Dandrige/Peter Vincent, Charley Brewster/Peter Vincent
Comments: 12
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is being worked on currently. I'll try to post a chapter once a week, but it might change as I go. Any typos or mistakes that you see let me know, I try to make sure it is edited nicely before posting, but I know mistakes happen.  
> P.S. this is going to be a long one, already got about 6 chapters written and still going.  
> Peace Out Brusselsprouts.

There are things that you expect, and there are things that you don’t. Your car breaking down, you don’t. The soup trying to boil over, you do. Your neighbor being a 400 year old vampire…yeah, no, you don’t expect that.

The thing is, Charley wasn’t stupid, he wasn’t crazy, although other people might have argued that last point. Jerry stood just outside the sunlight, tracing his fingertip casually playing with him. “How long till the sun goes down, Charley?”

“It just came up, so, I say a while. I got…a while.” Charley glanced at the hole and almost attempted to pace his little circle but realized that wasn’t going to work either, so he settled for crossing his arms and looked around.

“Think again. What time is it now?” Jerry asked.

“How the fuck should I know?” He spat back at the vampire.

Jerry stared at the ground, just next to the light. Charley’s footprints were outside the light, but he hadn’t…moved out of it, yet. “Oh shit.” It was mumbled under his breath but Jerry’s laugh told him that he heard every word.

“What do you think, huh, an hour, two or three? How long till the sun leaves that little hole, Charley?” Jerry grinned, looking like this was the funniest thing he’d seen in a while, and to him it probably was.

It hadn’t been an hour yet, Charley was sure of that. The sun was moving, slowly, but it was moving and he didn’t think he had much time left. But…there was a possibility, a small, tiny, nearly not there, possibility. The hole Peter and him and dropped through, the hole that led up to the rooms. Maybe he could get to it, but first he’d have to leave the light and make it across the basement. That wasn’t going to happen, maybe if he had more light, he could buy more time.

The gun was laying just a few feet from him, outside the safety of the sun. Now, earlier there had been vampires blocking him from that gun, there wasn’t any vampires now. Well, there was, but they were across the room, sleeping, or not paying attention to him. Even Jerry looked like he was almost dozing in the corner…with Amy leaning against him.

He didn’t take a deep breath, he didn’t brace himself, and he didn’t properly think before he acted. Charley leaped from the safety circle, landed almost on top of the gun and leaped back to the light, all within a couple seconds. A puff of air made him spin around to see Jerry standing RIGHT at the circle. He could just reach him and grab him, Charley knew he could, so why didn’t he?

Jerry looked at the gun and back at Charley, “Do you think that will help you escape, or are you that desperate?”

Charley aimed the gun at Jerry, “Come in here, and find out.”

Jerry laughed, “You realize your time is almost up, right. Look,” Jerry glanced over and Charley could see footprints, a few feet from where he was currently standing. “I give you, maybe, 1 more hour. When that sun moves, just…” Jerry waved his hand in the small gap left between the sun and wall, “I will make sure that you die slowly, Charley. I’m going to have some fun with you.”

The look on Jerry’s face told Charley that he didn’t want to know what Jerry considered fun and that he needed to get out of there, sooner rather than later. Charley picked up the gun, looked at the hole he already made, and fired.

The sound echoed in the basement, and a few of the vampires that had been asleep were awaken abruptly at that. Jerry leaped back, probably thinking for half a second that Charley just shot him point-blank in the head. Then, the confusion. Jerry looked at Charley like he’d lost his mind, “You missed?” How could Charley have missed when he was standing within two feet of the kid?

“No.” Charley pointed with the gun, “I didn’t.”

A new hole in the ceiling, a few feet from the first. A simple hole with a sunbeam slightly smaller than the one Charley was currently standing in. “I am getting out of here. If I have to hopscotch my way past you.”

Jerry’s eyes popped open a little at that, looking over at the new patch of sunlight and back at the boy. “You’ll run out of ammunition eventually.” Charley patted his pockets and held a small handful of rounds.

“Peter gave them to me before he…” Charley couldn’t say it. Before he took the stake and leaped out of the circle, determined to take as many vampires out as possible before he died. He was currently laying in a heap in the back of the basement, Charley didn’t know if the vampires had killed him or if he was going to turn. Either way, Charley wasn’t going to stand there and let Jerry win, not completely.

It didn’t take too long for Charley to come up with an idea to get Jerry to look away, just long enough for him to jump to the new sunbeam. “Amy?” He shouted, looking over to where she leaned in the corner, Charley assumed she was asleep.

Jerry jerked his head to look, not knowing what could have made the human shout at the new fledgling. He heard the thud and when he turned around Charley was standing, awkwardly, in the new sunbeam. “Now, how long before the sun goes down?” Charley asked, staring Jerry down.

He chuckled, “So you bought yourself a couple more hours.” He looked back at the first sunbeam and grinned looking back to Charley, “That took guts, I’ll give you that.”

Amy leaned up against Jerry, wrapping her arms around him from behind, looking just beside him.  
“Come out Charley. It doesn’t hurt, it feels…good.” Amy purred, rubbing her head against Jerry’s shoulder, enough to make him turn to grab her head. Charley turned his head while the two kissed and he gulped, she certainly didn’t seem to mind being a vampire that was for certain. And, the question ran through his mind, was it the vampire kissing Jerry or was it Amy?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charley works to get away from Jerry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with this! I got the whole story finished, now I just have to get it edited and start putting my chapters up on here. Yay! Enjoy without further ado.

Jerry wasn’t falling for that trick again. He had more or less paced around the new hole, watching Charley. He seemed more agitated than he had earlier, Charley wondered if that was from lack of sleep. Or that Charley had tricked him. Either way, Charley doubted that Jerry was going to take it easy on him if he got caught, the trick, don’t get caught. Evil used to say the same thing when they’d try sneaking out at night, not that they did much, just ride their skateboards down the sidewalk, go to the gas station and buy energy drinks…Charley shook himself, he started to doze off for a second.

The gun sat in his lap, and he looked around, maybe he could…Charley double-checked his ammunition, he had about four rounds left, plus one in the chamber. That wasn’t much, but it would do. It had to do. The light was starting to move faster or was that Charley’s imagination.

He stood up, keeping the gun close in case Jerry tried to grab it right out of his hands. He grabbed the gun, and he could tell Jerry was watching him, eyeing where he was looking. Charley didn’t have a lot of experience with guns, but he was good at math. He used to be a geek, and maybe still was one to a degree. Fired.

Another hole, a couple feet from the new one, placed so that the new sunbeam fell just ahead of his current one. Jerry walked around the new light and looked over at Charley. “How long are you going to keep this up, kid?” He sounded more annoyed than last time.

Charley said, “As long as I have to.” He didn’t know what he was going to do when he reached the stairs, if he could reach the stairs. But, since Jerry seemed determined not to enter the light, even though he could just grab him, Charley would play along. As long he earned himself a little more light and a little more time.

He was asleep! Charley stood in the light, watching carefully. Jerry was asleep! He couldn’t believe it. He had leaned against the wall a while back and eventually sat down, Amy leaning against him. Charley knew Amy was asleep a while back, but he double-checked again, and Jerry had fallen asleep. This could be a trap. He looked around.

A few moments later, Jerry was still asleep. The other vampires had moved away and Charley couldn’t really see them. Since they were all younger than Jerry, and he was asleep…this might be his chance.

He knew that any sudden movements, or loud noises and they would wake up, so this had to be subtle. He held the gun close to his chest, to keep it from clanking on anything, and he took his first very careful step. Outside the light, he could only make out small details, but he could see the stairs that led back to the first floor. He was only about ten feet from them, that might as well have been across the city.

Second step, just as careful as the first. His breathing was at a steady pace, but he knew his heart was racing. Jerry was still asleep, Charley prayed that it wasn’t an act.

Third, fourth, fifth. Charley took his time with each step. Placing it on the ground slowly, so slowly, making sure that he didn’t crunch on the gravel. He only needed about four or five more steps and he’d be on the stairs. Did any of the stairs creak? Where was the front door from the basement door?

Movement! Charley turned his head but didn’t jump, Amy tilted her head into Jerry, but didn’t wake. The older vampire didn’t stir, he hadn’t moved, hadn’t opened his eyes. Sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, the next was going to be the first stair. Charley looked around. All the vampires were asleep.

The stairs were steep, and there was a door at the top. If the door was locked, it had to be locked from the inside, so Jerry could lock it for the day, but what if it needed a key? He looked back at Jerry, who was still sleeping.

He might just make it out of this alive. Charley raised his foot to the first step, and leaned against the wall, just enough to take some weight off his step. Silence. He almost sighed in relief. Second, third, fourth, all painfully slow, all silent. Charley kept his weight on the outside edge of the steps, something he’d learned as a kid, trying to sneak peeks on Christmas.

He was at the door. Now, Charley stared at the door. Charley grabbed the knob and turned slowly, but the door didn’t open. Freeze. He looked up and there was a latch lock, just above him. The chain was going to clank. He held the chain, and slowly pulled back the lock, holding the chain in place every movement. He gently laid the chain down when the lock was open and turned the knob.

Charley grabbed the gun and held it tight, he doubted the door would open quietly, and he had to be able to make a mad dash to that door. Charley pushed the basement door open as gently as he could muster, but it creaked. As soon as Charley heard that creak and he threw the door the rest of the way and flew, to hell with subtlety he was as good as caught if he didn’t move it.

The front door was just ahead. He grabbed the handle and tossed it open, letting all the light in. He jumped outside but not before feeling a hand on his back. Charley didn’t have to turn to know who grabbed him, or why Jerry howled in pain. The sun poured in the door and Charley gasped, standing outside in the safety of the sun.

He looked inside. Jerry was just on the other side of the door, holding his hand, and growling. “Charley, that…that was stupid.” He laughed, “When I get you, and I will, I am going to take my time with you.”

Charley didn’t even answer, he turned and walked away, he didn’t know where he was going but it wasn’t going to be anywhere near there.

Alright, he did know one place, the hospital. It was evening now, but a few hours before sunset. Charley’s mother was shocked to see him, especially in his state. He had to explain the situation about Amy, and Peter, and how he got away. Jane sat there, listening, at least now she believed him.

“We have to leave, he’ll be up soon.” It was almost dark.

“I can’t just leave! I’m all…wired.” Jane held up a hand, that had little wires that had her connected.

Charley looked around, “We have to get you out of here. This…might not be the first place he’ll look but I wouldn’t put it past him.” Jerry had been out smarted and he probably felt humiliated, Charley didn’t want his mother on the receiving end of that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a rather short chapter. Hence the double in one day, enjoy :)

One rental car later, Charley and his mom had what little of their belongings they could grab in a hurry and they were heading away. East, maybe Connecticut, maybe Pennsylvania, maybe even Florida. They didn’t care, they just wanted to be far away from this mess.

Charley sat on a bench, just outside the motel waiting for a bus. It was a few hours after dark, but it was Miami, people were out all hours of the night. They had both felt weird in a small town, after living in Vegas, so Jane decided that Miami would work. Jerry would never think to look there and they could feel more at home.

The bus was running late, Charley wasn’t surprised. He didn’t like the idea of being late to work again, and he knew if he was his boss would give him hell for it. He’d taken the job only recently and he couldn’t afford to be considered the no-good kid. Hopefully, the bus would get the move on.

But, even after all the fuss and all the kerfuffle Jane and Charley had to go back to Vegas. Only for a few days. Charley’s aunt had passed away and everyone in the family wanted him to come to the funeral, they hadn’t seen him in a while and it was sad, but it was a chance to catch up.

The same neighborhood, the same people, the same places. The same house…the same house? “Wow! That was fast.” Charley stared at the house where theirs used to be. It looked just like it, only this one had a small porch on the front, it looked nice. Jerry’s house still stood next door, and Charley could only assume that the vampire was long gone, being that they had been gone for almost six months. Maybe they could move back to Vegas.

Jane’s sister lived just down the road from their old place so they asked if they could spend a couple nights there since they were going back to Miami. “I don’t see why you packed up and left. I know there was all them disappearances for a while, but they stopped. And look, your old house, or, like your old house, is up for sale.”

It was up for sale. Jane considered it, truthfully, but she didn’t want to come back while Jerry might be around. “Even your neighbor left.”

“Which neighbor?” Jane and Charley asked at the same time, looking at each other, hoping that maybe they could have something akin to their old life back.

Aunt Kate continued, “The one that worked nights, I can’t remember his name, short dark hair, drove a truck.”

“Jerry.” Charley said.

“Well, within a week of you guys moving, he left town.” She paused, “I don’t think anyone bought his house yet, but I know he hasn’t been there in a while.”

“We could move back, Charley.” Jane sat across from him, eating in a small restaurant they used to eat in when he was younger.

Charley stared at his food. Amy, Peter, Ed…all dead. And Jerry just left. He won, in a sense. Jerry won, Charley had fled and left everything of his old life behind. It made him feel all the worse for Peter, he’d already been through that once with his parents. Only to die…or at least Charley hoped he died, which made him feel messed up for thinking that.

“I could find a job at a local mechanic shop, maybe…” Charley had taken up mechanics, motorcycle mechanics mainly. He found he enjoyed it, and the work was peaceful, in his opinion…and it was all in the daytime. He had worked at a gas station during nights but the stress of waiting on a bus stop at night had nearly drove him crazy.

“I miss this place…you do think he’s gone…” Jane asked.

Charley rolled a nugget around, wondering. “I think he didn’t live to be 400 years old by sticking around and toying with people for that long.” Life, as much of one as he had, would go on.

It wasn’t the same house, it wasn’t the same home, but it felt almost like the same place. The toilet was where the shower used to be, and the sink was double basin instead of single, but…it felt like home. Charley was surprised how quickly he got used to it, and how fast he found work.


	4. Chapter 4

“Hey, guy.” Charley froze, he bent over to pick up some trash outside the house. He knew that voice. He slowly stood and turned around. Jerry leaned against the mailbox looking back at him, grinning. Charley gulped. It was night and he was about fifteen feet from his door, of course he was.

“You left…” It was a whisper, but Charley knew Jerry heard him.

Jerry looked side to side and back to Charley, leaned in and whispered, “So did you.” He stepped forward, “I never sold my property, Charley. Just…traveled a little. Now, Vegas, Sin City, is paradise for someone…like me.” Jerry just stood there, he didn’t act like he was coming for him, he didn’t step forward again and Charley turned to face him a little more.

“Don’t hurt my mom, please, don’t hurt her.” She’d been through enough lately, and they hadn’t even been back home, it wasn’t even their old home, two months.

The vampire grinned and shook his head, “Didn’t plan on it. You, you did something that only a small, and I do mean small, handful of humans have done Charley. You got away.”

Charley stood there, was this supposed to be a compliment? He looked back to the house and back to Jerry, was this a trick? “I got lucky.” He wasn’t stupid, he knew he used his smarts, but he got lucky that the stairs hadn’t creaked or the front door wasn’t locked, and even with everything aligned he still only just, and barely just, made it out that door.

“I don’t think I’m being clear, Charley.” Jerry walked towards him.

Any and all hesitation Charley had went out the door, he bolted back to the house and threw open the door and skidded across the floor. A knock, “Charley, open the door, I can’t come in, remember?” He didn’t even sound agitated, mainly, amused. What the ever loving fuck was going on?

Charley walked back to the door and opened it, just a crack. The vampire couldn’t enter without an invitation but Charley knew that he could MAKE an invitation. “I’m going to regret this, what do you want?” His life was going…okay, not well, but it wasn’t going horribly.

Jerry took a deep breath, “Your fear, that smell, I haven’t forgotten it, and its been what, eight, nine months?” He chuckled, “You got away, Charley. In 400 years only six other humans have got away from me, completely. I looked for you, and your mother, for a few nights. I realized you left Vegas before sunset, smart choice by the way. Now,”

Jerry leaned up against the door frame, head almost in the crack, “Pay attention. I still own this house, I still come here to…have fun.” He smirked. “Amy and Peter, and my other children are at my home, not this house. I will leave you and your mother alone, you earned it, I truly hate to say that. But…” Jerry snarled, “If you come into my house, threaten me or mine, try to call the cops on me…anything, I will make you suffer Charley.”

Charley stared at Jerry. Was he serious? “You want me to ignore you, let you get away with murder like that?”

“No, I want you to think about your dear mother, and how she got away last time…Do you think that you could be so lucky, again?” Playing deadly hopscotch wasn’t something Charley ever wanted to repeat, and he certainly didn’t want his mom having to go through that.

He looked back inside, a small part of him hoping that an answer would be there, it wasn’t. He looked back and Jerry still stood there, leaning, waiting. “Fine, just, leave. I…” Charley huffed, “I have a job, okay. I work, my mom works. I…" He paused, "Amy? You said Amy, she’s still…she…” Charley didn’t notice when Jerry said it before, but she was alive, er, undead?

He nodded, “Amy’s fine, does good. Peter…took a while but he’s, learning.” Jerry grinned, “You can still see them, if you want.”

“No!” Charley jumped back, almost like Jerry could grab him, he knew he couldn’t but it still made his skin crawl. “No. Just, leave.”

“Remember, Charley. Any cops, any break-ins, anything…no more mister nice guy.” Jerry tapped the doorframe, and looked into the crack, inside the kitchen, “Like my handiwork?”

“What?”

“The kitchen, I am a contractor, remember? I offered to work the kitchen, I knew what the old one looked like.” That explained why the kitchen looked exactly like the old one, same cabinets, almost, same…everything.

Charley stared open mouth, at the room around him. “Why?”

Jerry shrugged, “It was work that was close by, and besides, I had a feeling you’d come back.” A quick grin, showing more than just teeth, and Jerry was walking back to his property and whistling a slow tune. Charley slammed the door shut, why couldn’t his life get back to normal and stay that way?

His mother took the news rather well Charley thought. She only had a massive mental breakdown, threatened to move back to Miami and tried to go over to the neighbor’s house to kill the neighbor. All in all, relatively calm reaction.

A quick reminder that armed with stakes, holy water, a shotgun, and with two people, and Charley only survived by sheer luck. Jane settled down a bit, although she did insist on stronger door locks, Charley didn’t remind her that door locks were useless against vampires, but just nodded, let her have that security.


	5. Chapter 5

Work was going well. It was Saturday, and normally Charley would have been out earlier but there had been a lot of clients this particular day so it was after dark when he was heading home. The good thing, he’d been working so much Charley had a bike that actually ran now, a small red dual sport, nothing fancy but at least it ran.

Pulling into the driveway Charley saw Jerry, well, that meant he hadn’t had a horrific nightmare and he was in fact living next door, once again, to a vampire. And said vampire was walking over to him. Damn it. “Nice bike.”

Charley just stared at him, “What year is it?” Jerry walked around the bike as Charley dismounted.

“What do you want?” Charley snipped.

Jerry motioned at the bike, “Just asking about that. Last bike you had…well, it didn’t run well.” He chuckled, remembering the night he tossed the dirt bike through the van, that was fun.

Charley glanced around, and when he was sure no one was going to hear him he snapped. “I agreed not to call the cops on you, not to break into your house…not to bother you. Alright? I did not agree to be buddy buddy with you, or talk to you or…anything. You want me to leave you alone, well, same here. Leave me alone!” He was all but shouting at the end and huffing in the vampires face.

Jerry ran his fingers over the bike and looked back at Charley, “I was just making conversation, you know, neighbor like. But…I guess I better get going. You know, lady friend coming over tonight.”

Jerry’s laughter was all Charley needed to hear to know he showed every bit of panic he felt. He stopped himself from snapping, another word, another Doris….no, no, no. Charley wasn’t getting involved again, he did once and…no. He turned and walked back into the house, slamming the door shut behind him. With any luck, Jerry wouldn’t wreck his bike for being rude. If he did…what could he do to stop him? He was fucked. “When I get you, and I will, I’m going to take my time with you.” The last words Jerry said to him when he left that house all those months ago. Maybe this was Jerry playing with him, trying to make him relax so that he could kill him when he didn’t expect it. Maybe he’d go to leave for work and then Jerry’d grab him…maybe he was becoming as paranoid as Peter had been, not that it did Peter any good.

He heard the screams that night, either that or he was having another nightmare. Charley didn’t know, not anymore. The nightmares had blended in with reality a while ago and now that Jerry was back, truly back, he…he decided he was going to ignore it. He tried being the hero before and it got innocent people killed.

Friday, Charley came home from work riding his bike and looked around. No Jerry, he hadn’t seen the vampire in almost a week. Jerry said that he didn’t live next door anymore, he just stayed there when visiting the city. With any luck, he’d use the place like a timeshare and only pop in once or twice a year, or maybe never.

“How was work?” Charley’s mom was in the living room, relaxing and watching tv. He knew she’d been working more than she used to, she was trying to regain some savings since the previous house exploded, the good thing insurance covered most of the cost but it didn’t cover all the personal belongings that needed replaced. He’d been working overtime as well, trying to get money saved up to get his own apartment or house, not that he really wanted to leave his mom in that neighborhood, or really, with that neighbor.

Charley opened the fridge and grabbed a pop, “Good. It was good. I don’t have to work tomorrow, so that’s a plus.”

“A weekend off?” Jane asked.

“Yeah.” Charley took a sip, “A whole weekend off. I don’t know what to do with myself. Vacation, kind of…” He headed for the back door, it was a clear night and since he hadn’t seen any sign of Jerry, Charley thought he’d chill outside, maybe work on his bike, get some detailing done, or maybe do some cleaning… probably not that last option.

About a half-hour into working in the garage and Charley knew he was being watched. He turned around and saw Jerry making his way over to the backyard. Shit. “What?”

Jerry looked around and put his hands on the garage door, could he enter a garage without an invitation? “You gonna let me in?”

That answered that question. “No. You gonna go away and leave me alone?”

Jerry grinned, “No.” He stepped back and looked around, “They did do a rather good job, the house looks…almost exactly like the old one. I didn’t do all the work, but I know they looked at pictures.” He frowned, “Shame the detailing isn’t as good as it used to be.”

Charley looked back over his shoulder, “What do you mean?”

“I mean that houses used to be art. Now, they throw them together, add some small details to make them ‘unique’ and then sell them to whoever will pay the higher price. Good way to make a fast buck, not a good way to encourage craftsmanship.” Jerry shrugged, “No matter, still works the same.” He ran his fingers down the door frame, and Charley was eerily reminded of him playing with the sunbeam, almost a year ago.

Charley stood, done cleaning his bike. “Do they work? You burned ours down in seconds, didn’t exactly protect us from that.”

“True.” Jerry nodded, “But, asides from a person who knows exactly how to turn a house into a fireball, I would say that the house works the same. Yes?” Charley stared at the vampire, waiting on him to make his point. “It still keeps the rain off you, bugs from biting…evil undead from ripping out your throat.” Charley gulped audibly, he knew Jerry heard. “Now, they just do this without all the flare, the style…the art.” Charley almost missed the last few words, since Jerry said them as he turned to leave.

“How long have you…have you always done this type of work?” Charley asked, walking towards the garage door.

Jerry stopped but didn’t turn around completely. “I’ve done it long enough to appreciate detail. To know the craftsman’s trade.” The vampire walked back over to his home. Charley didn’t know what to make of the visit, it was strange but hey, if he more or less left Charley alone. Jerry had been working on construction that long, huh? No wonder he was able to renovate his own home that fast, well, that and having supernatural strength probably helped too.

Next Friday, Charley sat on the back porch, not in the garage. He’d been texting a girl he liked and was just relaxing. “Hey guy.” And, of course, the night was ruined in an instant.

“What?” He didn’t even look up from his phone, maybe if he ignored the vampire it would go away. Jerry sat down in the porch chair next to him, that was a large and profound nope. He looked over and Jerry handed him a can.

“I do still owe you one, remember?” Jerry took a sip from his drink, staring a hole through Charley waiting on his response.

Charley looked down and back at Jerry, he did…well, he had given Jerry the beer in the house, and technically. He took a quick glance to the back door, his mom was probably asleep, she’d been up early showing houses to a couple that was trying to find the ‘perfect home’ and she was out. He looked back at the can and shrugged, why not? Charley took a swig and about tossed.

Jerry laughed as Charley sputtered on the rancid beverage. “That…is…nasty.” He said between coughs.

“That is lager, strong stuff, not as strong as whiskey or rum. But still good.” Jerry downed his own can and Charley watched, forget that he was a vampire, he was disgusting.

“How the hell can you drink that?” Charley had tasted beer before, not that he’d admit it to his mom. Bud Light or similar, this was like that times ten. He’d heard of things putting hair on your chest, but this put chest hair on his chest hair, Jesus Christ!

“You get used to it.” Jerry looked around and turned back to Charley’s bike. He didn’t say anything, but he’d asked about it before.

“It’s nothing special. I got it cheap cause it was wrecked before, see the dents on the side? Suzuki, runs good, I like it.” It was cheap, and Charley, somehow, still liked the color red, on vehicles at least.

Jerry didn’t say anything but kept looking it over. “This one actually runs, that’s a plus.” Jerry started to say something else, but something over at his own house caught his attention. “Catch you around, guy.”

“Uh, later.” Charley stopped after he said that, did he really just say later to Jerry? Like he wanted to see him later! The only problem now was he had a can of lager to get rid of. It couldn’t be that hard.

It took Charley almost an hour to drink the one can because he kept gagging. How the hell did Jerry drink that thing so fast?


	6. Chapter 6

And so it began, almost every Friday and or Saturday night Jerry would come over and talk to Charley, sometimes Jane if she was out. She never said much to Jerry, though she started to after a few weeks. Charley would get home from work, and do his yard work or whatever, but he’d wait till evening to do it, so that he’d be outside when Jerry…got home, came to visit, stopped by, whatever he did when he came to his old house.

It had been going on for a few months now. Charley would admit, he considered Jerry a friend now, he hated to admit it, but he did. His mom, well, she didn’t consider Jerry a friend but she didn’t want Jerry to be an enemy either not after what he did before. Especially after what he put her son through, she still thought Charley was insane for going after Jerry by himself, running into Peter in Jerry’s house had been a fluke and Charley was lucky to still be alive.

Now after all this time Charley hadn’t invited Jerry in, he wasn’t that stupid. But, he could get tired and he could make a mistake.

“I’m telling you it won’t work.” Charley sat in his chair watching Jerry tinker with his new doo-dad. Jerry was attempting to rig a d.i.y. doorbell, that would ring a…bell, a handbell. Not that Jerry needed one, he just liked how it looked, the only problem was that he’d never made one before.

A tug here and a tighten there, Jerry looked over and grinned, “Watch.” One simple tug later, and the bell rang like a charm. Charley stared and blinked and stared again.

“You said you never made one of these before?”

“I didn’t.”

“Then how did you make one so fast?” Charley walked over and tested it for himself, still shocked that it worked the first time.

Jerry looked around and leaned over his new device. Motioning with his hands for Charley to lean closer he stage whispered, “There is an amazing invention, called internet.” He sat back and picked up his new device, “I use it all the time.”

Charley rolled his eyes but still walked behind heading over to Jerry’s. He did promise he’d help install it after it was built. “Alright, so you built one doorbell from the internet, what other things has it helped you build, huh?” Charley doubted Jerry could name more than three things…maybe.

Jerry sat his new doorbell on the table inside the door of his house, “The trap doors,” he didn’t need to specify which ones, “built a truck trailer once, and an icebox, back when I lived in Illinois.”

“You lived in Illinois?” Charley asked.

Jerry held the doorbell in place while Charley screwed the frame to the wall, “Yeah, didn’t live there long, too small of a town, too easy to attract attention. Here,” Jerry handed Charley the other screw, “Lived in every state at least once…except North Dakota and Rhode Island, visited them, but never lived in them for long.”

“Finished, try it out.” Charley waited for the appropriate ding and hopped off the step ladder. “I bet that was…interesting.” He knew why Jerry couldn’t stay at any one place, and that was probably why he didn’t stay in this house all that much anymore. But it still had to be lonely moving all the time. “Where did you go after…well, after we left?” It was a mildly sore subject but one Charley was still curious about.

“Just outside of Las Vegas, found another place, new one is smaller, but I like it. Amy and Peter like it, haven’t made any more children, waiting for the right time.” Jerry knew Charley didn’t like it when he talked about that, but he was what he was, and Charley needed to learn if he was going to stick around.

Charley gulped, “Yeah…how is Amy, and Peter?”

Jerry held the door as they headed back over to Charley’s, “Amy’s good, she doesn’t need my help to hunt.” Charley almost tripped, and Jerry had to bite back a laugh at the boy’s behavior, “Peter still doesn’t like hunting on his own, still doesn’t like hunting period,” he snarled, “ But he’ll learn and he’ll get better, just takes time.” Jerry had a small grin, “Peter can fight now, that is for sure. Been practicing with me, a lot.”

“You fight?” Charley asked, shocked.

“Not like that.” Jerry stood outside the garage door, “I mean I’ve been training him.”

“Oh, ok, I was…kind of worried for a second.” Why he’d be worried Charley didn’t know, it wasn’t like he could do anything if Jerry and Peter were fighting, he hadn’t even seen Peter or Amy in…damn, it had almost been a year. A lot had changed since then.

Charley noticed Jerry’s smirk but he didn’t say anything. Yes, he would have been worried if Jerry and Peter were fighting, maybe. He hadn’t seen them in a while but he still wanted to think that they acted kind of like they did before, and based on Jerry’s descriptions they did.

It was getting late, at least by Charley’s standards and he worked to get things put away in the garage. They’d been working on Jerry’s doorbell but used half of his own tools, somehow Charley felt he should remind his carpenter neighbor that he was sure Jerry had his own drill. But, he didn’t. He turned to say something to Jerry, reached to put the drill back in the cupboard, and missed.

“Fuck!” Charley held his hand up to his chest, that hurt, that hurt, that really hurt. He didn’t need to look to know there was blood, hopefully not a lot.

“Let me take a look.” Jerry offered, leaning as close as he could to the garage door.

“Come here, I think I broke my wrist.” Charley hissed, holding his hand.

Jerry’s eyes about popped out when Charley said that but he walked over to take a look. A few squeezes and swear words later and Jerry said, “It’s not broken, just twisted. The cut is pretty deep though.” He’d been applying pressure to the wound while looking at Charley’s wrist. “Get it cleaned up.”

Charley grabbed a rag and went inside to finish cleaning his hand. While waiting Jerry put away the drill to kill time, and to distract himself from the delicious smell of blood, he’d gotten lucky and got a few drops that he got to lick off his hand after Charley left. Barely enough to count as a taste. A few minutes later Charley came back looking very confused, his hand properly bandaged. “I let you in the garage???”

“Yeah.” Jerry rolled his shoulders a little, relaxing against the garage workbench. “You hurt your hand, remember?”

“I mean…I…shit!” Charley almost slapped himself in the head but stopped when the bandaged appendage approached his face.

“You, God I am so stupid!” Charley slumped against the door to the house.

“You let me in.” Jerry didn’t even sound fazed!

“How can you say it, like that? I know you’ve been itching for an invitation.”

Jerry nodded, watching Charley’s hand as it spun around in gesture, “Yeah, I can come over now. Day or night…or maybe just nights.” Hey, he could have a little humor, sometimes. “Sounds like you.”

He stood there in the doorframe and looked at the vampire. “There is a difference. You could attack me and my mom.” He didn’t want to sound rude, ungrateful for the help, but still, it was exceptionally not safe to let a vampire in the house.

“You came into my home and you tried to kill me.” Jerry picked up a screwdriver and rolled it between his fingers, “Once, a while ago. Now, would you do that again?”

“No!” Charley said, far too hastily, “I mean, no, uh, why would I? You haven’t tried to hurt us, or…” Jerry had killed others he knew that, and he knew that other people were dying. Before, that would have made him furious now it just made him, as much as he truly hated to think it, grateful that the vampire was leaving the people he cared about alone. He already lost two of his best friends and his girlfriend, and he nearly lost his own life and his mom because of Jerry.

Jerry, unknowing of Charley’s internal dilemma, “Exactly. I haven’t. Why would I come in and hurt you or your mom? My hunting isn’t around here, not anymore, too much attention after all that happened.” Twisting the screwdriver in his hands he pointed it to Charley, “Not to mention, I think I like having you around. You have guts.”

Charley stood there and looked at Jerry. “I have to think about my mom, Jer. All I have is your word that you won’t hurt her.” He looked horrified, standing there, Jerry could smell the fear but he could tell it wasn’t fear for himself. Normally, he’d like that scent, now it made him sick to think Charley was scared…why?

“I could help you, remove the invitation.” Why did he offer to do that?

“You can do that?” Charley asked, hopeful.

Jerry sighed. “Yeah, it can be done. Just wait till I leave, verbally denounce me and my invite, and for good measure put holy water on the doorways. I can’t remember if there is another step, bear in mind I normally wouldn’t want people to uninvite me.” He stood in the garage, arms folded across his chest and Charley wasn’t an idiot.

Charley stood there looking at Jerry. He hadn’t done anything, in multiple months. Charley had even gone into Jerry’s house, alone with Jerry, sometimes for over an hour working on a project, watching something on the tv, or Jerry showing him something from his collections of strangeties and oddities from over the years. He’d never verbally said it, but he considered Jerry a friend now. But, a friend that could be very dangerous. “I need you to swear…” He stepped closer, “I mean swear that you won’t hurt us Jerry, I mean it. I won’t undo the invitation, but I need to KNOW!”

Charley stared at Jerry, eyes intense. All light-hearted demeanor was gone, and stone cold resolve stood in its place. Jerry knew that look, he’d had it himself before over the years. It meant that if you made the wrong mistake you were fucked. He grinned, glad to know where he stood, glad to know that Charley was getting some of his guts back after all these months. “I won’t hurt you Charley, or your mom.” Jerry reached out a hand, like to shake, “I haven’t yet, have I?” The first time they met didn’t count. “I swear,” Jerry added for good measure.

Charley took his, non-bandaged, hand and shook, sighing with relief. “Do me a favor, if you go back on your promise and insist on killing me, do it in my sleep. Maybe you’ll spare me some nightmares.”

Jerry could hear the blood curdling scream next door when Charley told Jane he, accidentally, invited Jerry into their house. Words that no woman, maybe even no human, should use were used and Jerry couldn’t help but laugh at Charley’s mom using that kind of language. He couldn’t hear the whole of what was said, even his hearing had limits, but he heard enough to know she wasn’t pleased with the news.


	7. Chaper 7

“I am not telling you again! Slam that door one more time and you can personally stand out there in wind, rain, sleet and hail and see how you like it!” Jane shouted at the, once again, annoying vampire that insisted he had to be there, again.

Charley rolled his eyes and pointed at Jerry in a ‘stop that before you get ME in trouble’ way. Another apple, a red one this time, got taken from the fruit basket, something to munch on while waiting on the human to get ready to leave. Jerry was taking Charley somewhere in the city. Jane eyed Jerry carefully, “I still think this is a bad idea.”

Never mind that Jerry was in the room standing right next to her, or anything. Her dislike, no hatred was the correct word, for Jerry was well known, and well deserved. Charley didn’t blame his mother for her distrust of Jerry. But, they were friends now, in an odd way. Jerry said he found something Charley would like, and what that was Charley wanted to know. He just prayed that Jerry wasn’t taking him into the City to kill him. It would be very embarrassing if his mom was right, he’d never hear the end of it after death.

“I’ll be fine. See, cell phone.”

“Remember, desert, no signal half the time.” Jane deadpanned, like he could forget the one time in his life he really wished they had a cell signal.

“I’ll be fine. Promise.” Charley grabbed his wallet and headed out the door behind Jerry, the only hint that Jer would give was that it would be something he wouldn’t forget. That could either be really good or really bad, Charley hoped it was the former.

“You do know I’m not 21 yet, right?” Charley asked as they walked up to a club. It was a nice place, from the outside, a Vegas special with the flashy lights and loud music that you could hear from the sidewalk.

Jerry smirked as he walked up to the doorman, “You know me, let me in.” It wasn’t a request.

The guy nodded and opened the door quick, “Yeah, no problem. Don’t need another reminder.” The guy didn’t even ask anything about Charley, as soon as they were in Charley gave Jerry a look.

“Long story short, he didn’t want me here one night. I told him I wasn’t leaving.”

Charley didn’t need the details, his brain filled in the majority. “Why here?”

Jerry made his way to the bar, “Don’t remember.” He was lying through his teeth, Charley could tell by how he wouldn’t look at him when he talked, “Walk around, dance, ‘mingle’, have fun. Maybe you’ll spot a pretty little thing.” He’d already ordered a drink and was downing a glass.

“Aren’t you going to dance?”

Jerry gave Charley an incredulous look. “No.” He made a shooing motion with one hand, “Like I said, go have fun.”

Charley stared at the man, really, he made no sense. Drag him into the city and then not want to do anything but sit at a counter and drink…okay, it could have definitely been worse; he could have been there to drink Charley, and that sounded even more perverted mentally than he intended. “Fine. I’ll…find something to do.”

Other than that night when him and Amy were at the club in Peter’s penthouse he’d never been in one before. This was crazy. People dancing around everywhere, truly he could barely hear Jerry when he’d been talking but he’d gotten good at reading Jerry’s lips. They’d talk a lot when Jane would be in the room without actually speaking, it was pretty cool. Him, Adam, and Ed used to that years ago.

Walking around the club ended with Charley, he was pretty sure you’d call it dancing. He might not be a high school nerd anymore but he was still very awkward around people. A few minutes into the dance a woman grabbed him from behind and started a slow number, rubbing against his back suggestively. “Hey, don’t you think I should buy you a drink first, or something?” Charley tried to joke over the music.

“No need, I already had one.”

That voice. Charley jumped from the woman and spun around, nearly falling over from the lack of balance. Amy swayed to the music in front of him, halter top and skinny jeans, he remembered that she loved that combination before, it was her favorite at parties. “Don’t you want to dance anymore?” She grinned, looking all too human for his comfort.

“Amy?” He looked around to find Jerry, and he could just make him out at the bar, looking right over to them, Charley was almost certain he was grinning, but that could have been the light.

“Didn’t Jerry tell you?” Amy put her arms around his neck and moved to the music, moving her hips back and forth, “This is one of his favorite hunting grounds, he’s teaching me. I’m doing much better.”

The look of sheer joy on her face seemed so wrong for the sentence she just said. Charley felt both disgusted and…happy for her. Her smile, he hadn’t seen it in so long he wanted to see her smile, but the reason for it. He was going to be sick.

“I think I should leave, now.” Charley went to pull himself free but Amy grabbed tighter.

She grabbed his chin and turned it to face her. “I haven’t seen you in a year, Charley.” She said in a stern voice, “The least you can do is one dance, catch up a little.” She looked hurt, angry and maybe even sad that he turned the dance down.

He looked back, and Jerry was gone, great now he was on his own, not that Jerry would have been much help he figured. “Ok, one dance.” Really, as long as she kept her teeth to herself he would be fine.

Well, one dance wasn’t enough, for either of them. Soon enough Charley was making a fool of himself, right along with Amy, jumping and swaying, waving his arms back and forth when the DJ would play just the right songs. All in all, it was a blast.

Amy stopped dancing finally and pulled Charley’s face to hers. God, he missed her. Charley didn’t want to let go of her lips, holding her tight and kissing as if he needed her to breathe. When they finally pulled apart she laid her head on his chest, “Jerry wants us over at the bar.”

“How can you tell?” It was so loud in the club he could barely hear her, and she was inches from his face.

Amy shook her head and laughed, “You have a lot to learn Charley.” She tugged his arm and he followed, walking behind her, knowing how easy it was to get separated in a club. Sure enough, Jerry was standing at the bar watching them come back.

“I said you might find a pretty little thing.” Amy smacked Jerry’s arm and leaned into Charley’s side.

“Well, at least we danced, you just watched.”

Charley looked at her, “He was watching us?” He didn’t know that! Oh god, he’d been dancing like an idiot!

Jerry laughed, “Yeah, quite the show you two. Time to go.” Maybe he wouldn’t ever mention it again, “Oh, I took a picture of you acting like a…what, a windmill, I might have to show Jane later.”

“You do and I’ll put holy water in your hot water tank. Good luck taking a shower after that.” Charley was joking of course, and Jerry was joking, of course. He knew Jerry’s humor now, but it wasn’t any fun unless he snarked back. It was ritual, he had to do it. It was like yelling at your alarm to shut up, it just didn’t feel right without it.

Charley started to get in the front of Jerry’s, new, truck but Amy pulled him in the back. “Unh uh, I haven’t seen you in a year mister. We’re catching up.”

Charley laughed as he was pulled back, “Didn’t we just catch up in the club?”

She wouldn’t let him sit back up, “You think one hour is enough to catch up on a year? No!”

Jerry seemed content to drive the truck and ignore them, even though Charley knew he was listening to every, embarrassing, word. Amy laughed, “How did you get your foot out of the door frame?”

“A lot of tugging, a lot of wiggling, and a lot of pain.” Charley lifted his leg, “I actually got a scar from it now. A small one, that will likely be gone soon, but…” He said in his most generic manly voice, “I have a scar!”

He was laughing so he didn’t notice Amy lean over, again, to kiss him. He didn’t know why but she really seemed to be all over him. He was fine at the club, but Jerry was sitting RIGHT there. “Amy,” he whispered around her lips, “You do remember…we’re not alone?”

“I know that, sit still.” She huffed, pulling him back to her. Charley could hear Jerry chuckling upfront.

“You tell my mom about this and I’ll kick your ass!” He wasn’t talking to Amy. In a few seconds, he was more than kissing her.

Amy straddled his legs and was making out with him, Charley wasn’t complaining. As they were kissing he noticed that she started rocking her hips back and forth, grinding in his lap. He was going to ask her to stop, but he could see in her face that Amy was really enjoying herself. So he kept kissing her, feeling her boobs, and kissing her.

Charley’s length was hard soon enough and he was rocking up to meet Amy, it was a little awkward in the back seat, in jeans, with someone sitting only feet from him, but it still felt good. “Charley…” Amy moaned softly, grabbing his shirt while she rubbed against him, moving in rhythm, Charley gasped as he felt his release coming quick.

“Amy, shit, I’m…I’m,” She kissed him, maybe to shut him up, maybe because she was having her own orgasm and didn’t want him babbling through it. Half a second later Charley’s hips jumped as he pulsed inside his pants, holding onto Amy for dear life.

He gasped against her fingers holding her close, not wanting her to move, partly because he was a little sensitive after coming and if she would shift he’d probably be in pain. “I missed you,” Charley would say that had to be an understatement, he laughed and pulled her for a kiss.

“I missed you too.” He tilted his head back on the seat and nearly jumped when Amy put her mouth near his neck. “No!”

She gave him the look of ‘seriously’, “I was going for a kiss, dope!” She leaned In and sure enough, started kissing his neck and sucking…

“Are you seriously trying to give me a hickey?!” Charley tugged her off, laughing. Amy was bad about that before, giving him hickeys, always on his collarbone. They’d never slept together, but they made out enough when they were together. He’d never figure his first, o.k. it wasn’t sex but it was close enough, with Amy would be in Jerry’s pickup truck, with Jerry driving the damn thing!


	8. Chapter 8

Charley got out of Jerry’s truck, almost tripping cause he wasn’t paying attention. Amy leaped out and almost tackled him, kissing him on the lips and leaning against him. “I’m gonna be gone this week.”

“Why?” Charley asked, looking at her, still hardly believing that he was seeing her again, that she…for all intents and purposes, acted like she did before.

She jerked her head to Jerry, “I’m still learning to hunt, like I said. He doesn’t want me to risk our safety.”

Made sense, and Charley could not believe that he thought that. “I’ll, uh, see you when you come back?” He didn’t mean to make it a question, but maybe she didn’t want to spend time with him anymore, it was just because they hadn’t seen each other in a year that she…jumped him in Jerry’s back seat, God he wasn’t going to live that down any time soon.

Amy turned and looked at Jerry giving him the pleading eyes. “I’ll see. Get inside, it’s late.” Meaning it was too early, Jerry nudged Amy to the front door, letting her in before coming back over to Charley. “Was I right?”

Charley didn’t understand. “About you liking what I found.”

Charley laughed, shifting his weight so he could adjust his pants a little. “Yeah…about that. Please, I do mean please, don’t tell my mom about tonight. About, any of it.” He was blushing all the way down to his neck and Charley knew it.

Jerry started laughing, a loud and contagious laugh, not one Charley was quite used to. “Trust me kid. You’re fine.” He looked back at the house and back to Charley, “She’s asked about you for a few months now, I figured she was getting good enough to bring around.”

Charley nodded and looked over at his own house. “I need to get to bed, I’ll be dead tomorrow morning if I don’t.” He turned his head, showing his neck to Jerry, “Did she really leave a hickey?”

“Yep. A nice large one right,” he traced it with his finger, “there.”

Charley felt it, “Lovely. This will be fun explaining to mom. Bye Jer, and Jerry,” Jerry stopped and turned to the boy, “Thank you.”

The vampire nodded briefly before heading back in his home. It wasn't that he was awkward around thanks, but Jerry cerainly wasn' used to humans showing any kind of affection towards him, and meaning it.

Jerry was gone for a few days and life was normal. Charley got the third degree from his mom about the hickey, not that he’d gotten the hickey, but when he said it was Amy that gave it to him. That he’d let a vampire near his neck, that he rode in a truck with two vampires…imagine if she knew what all he did with one of those vampires, good lord Charley could only imagine.

That Wednesday Jerry’s truck was in his driveway and Charley looked it over. That was odd. A little after dark Charley went over and rang the bell, wondering what would bring Jerry into town during the week. Jerry opened the door, looking very much…dead.

“Come in.” He said, shuffling back over to the couch.

Charley shut the door behind him, looking at Jerry like he’d never seen him before. “Did I come at a bad time?” He’d never seen Jerry like this before.

Jerry looked back at him and shook his head. “Just woke up, hungry, that’s all.” He had a person upstairs and was going to feed shortly after waking, but he’d wait till Charley left. “What do you need?” Jerry couldn’t think of one thing that would bring Charley over at the crack of sundown.

“Well, I saw your truck in the driveway today and I know you don’t normally come over till weekend…” He stumbled over his words a little when Jerry stretched, he wasn’t…wearing….a shirt and Charley just noticed. Uh, what was he saying again. “And, uh, I, um, I didn’t know if everything was ok, or, I don’t know. Why are you here in the middle of the week, I guess?”

Jerry rolled his shoulders, continuing to stretch, Charley had literally caught him when he just woke up. As in, was walking out of the basement when he heard someone ringing his doorbell. His first thought was yay, fresh delivery, the second when he found out it was Charley, yay, but why is he here. “I’m giving Amy and Peter some space.”

“What?”

Jerry folded his arms across his chest, and Charley was definitely not looking at his, were those muscles meant to move like that, no he wasn’t. “Amy is doing better, hunting and over all I’d say that she could, if absolutely necessary, survive on her own. Peter…not so much. He can hunt but he doesn’t like to. Stubborn.”

Well that, was not what Charley expected. “So, you’re, giving them space? Like, testing how well they’ll do with you gone a little longer?”

He nodded, “I’ve been leaving every weekend a while now, I brought Amy with me this weekend, a treat for her, and you.” He grinned at the human. “But, I need to see how well they can do without me for longer. I don’t want them to think I want to get rid of them, no, but, if something would happen to me, I want to make sure they can take care of themselves.”

“What could happen to you?” Charley had come armed with another person and still couldn’t kill Jerry.

Jerry smirked, “You almost killed me, you know that?”

Blink. “How?”

“When you left, I figured for certain that you were going to come back and torch the house, burning all of us alive.” Charley never thought of that, and now, the idea of killing them sickened him. “If someone else were to come along…someone with more experience in vampire hunting…just saying, it’s a cruel world, guy. I’ve lost a lot of children over the years, don’t like it when it happens. I try to make sure they have a chance.”

Charley shifted from one foot to the other, “You…you really care about them?” He always figured they were mindless minions to Jerry, at least to a degree.

He nodded, “Some, yeah. Some…you saw the nest that day.” Charley nodded, “Most of the young ones, they weren’t meant to live, just protection for the nest. I planned on you, after that stunt at the van I wanted you, I saw you had spirit and even after running you off the road you came at me with that cross…” Jerry laughed, “That took guts. Amy was…unplanned.” Jerry’s eyes shifted to the ground, he was hungry and could hear the person moving in their cell, and he really wanted food.

“But, she had fire, too. I figured, at the time, if I had her it would be easier to get…” He pointed at Charley, “You. But it didn’t work.” Obviously, “Peter was welcome, I didn’t think he’d turn at first. After you left, I checked him over, gave him a little of my blood to help the transformation along, the fledglings did a lot of damage.”

“Fledglings?” Charley was sitting on the couch now, next to where Jerry was still standing, he seemed to be hooked on Jerry’s every word, a good sign if you asked Jerry.

“New born vampire.” He walked over and sat on the other end of the couch, resigning himself to a later meal. “Amy was new, but I gave her some of my blood at the club, it helped keep her…maintained, in a way. At least till she could finish turning. The others hadn’t had that luxury and were…” Jerry tilted his head back, grinning, “Feral.” 

Charley asked a lot of questions he’d been meaning to, and even if they made him squeamish he wanted to know, now seemed like a good time to ask. He’d made a pact, an agreement. At first he didn’t like it, he hated it, but he didn’t want to get involved because of his family, him and his mom. Now, he was friends with Jerry, and if he had to guess because of what happened last week, Amy. He didn’t like what they were, what they did, but…it was their nature, in a way. They weren’t hurting him…and he didn’t have anyone else they could hurt, other than his mom, really.

Jerry’s hand rested on Charley’s shoulder, at some point he’d sat it there without thinking about it, and now it was just there. Charley didn’t seem to mind, if anything he moved in closer. Charley eventually did seem to notice the hand but didn’t move it, but he did sit up a little more and lean back into the couch, a little away from Jerry. “You certainly seemed like you enjoyed it when Amy was kissing you.” Charley said. That night had been brought up and Charley figured he’d point out something that had bugged him.

“You would like it too if someone that good looking was kissing you.” Jerry said, closing his eyes, he did pull his arm back at this point. “Peter ever tell you much about my kind?”

“Other than they are ‘snackers’, his word not mine. No.” Charley sat up and pointed at Jerry, “That’s a lie! He said you live in groups, uh, tribes I think he said.” It had been a long time since that night and he was pulling from memory.

Jerry bobbed his head, “Both are true. He’s mentioned the ‘snacker’ nickname more than once already.” Charley could tell that Jerry didn’t like that nickname for his species. “Want to know something about us?” Charley had already been asking questions since he’d been there, what more was there to ask that he hadn’t already.

“Uh, yeah.” Maybe, unless it was gross, or gorey, but it likely was, and if he said no it would be rude. So yes, even if it made him gag a little, or a lot.

Jerry sat there a second, like he thinking how to word what he was about to say. “You saw how Amy was…a little, flirtatious, in the basement.” Charley nodded slowly, not seeing where Jerry was going with this. “That’s normal, for a fledge.”

“What?” How was hanging off another vampire and practically gagging them with your tongue normal, well, he couldn’t blame Amy since he knew she was hot for Jerry since she met him, he wasn’t stupid. But…what did that have to do with vampires in general.

“Newborns have the need to be with their sires,” Jerry motioned a finger across his chest, like what he did with Amy, “The need to have the sires blood, to have the sire accept you, to be held…needed.”

“Sounds clingy.”

Jerry laughed, “Very, and yes.” He stood up, stretching again. “Like you are right now.”

“Hey, I’m not diving for tonsils!” Charley defended as he stood up, protesting Jerry’s accusations.

“No, but you’ve been here for almost three hours.” It hadn’t been…it had been.

“Crap.”

He was patient but he did need to eat sometime, “Now, we can always continue our little talk, but I have to feed.” Charley turned to see Jerry’s eyes turn black and the tips of his fangs show over his lips, “Unless you want to offer?”

“No. Thanks though. I’ll uh, get going.” Charley started to open the door when he stopped and turned, a question on his face. “You said that was normal for fledglings? Did, did Peter act the same way?” He could not see Peter making out with Jerry, not for the life of him.

Jerry stopped from where he was walking towards the stairs and looked back at Charley, “Yeah, between me and two new fledges, I didn’t get a lot of sleep for a couple weeks.” Well, that was a mental image Charley didn’t need. He suspected, highly, that Jerry had slept with Amy at some point, now he knew. He also knew Jerry had slept with Peter…which was both a hot image and slightly hilarious, namely because Charley got the image of Peter in his show costume. 

"That was a mental image I could have lived without." He ducked out the door before he could ask any more stupid questions. "See you Jer."

"Later guy."

That night was the first night Charley had a nightmare about Jerry in weeks. He hadn’t even noticed the nightmares going away, only that they had. Only for that peace to be shattered.

He was walking down the driveway and saw Amy, Peter and Jerry. They were standing around the truck talking and when he went to go over Amy tried to cut him with her nails. Peter hissed, fangs dripping with blood, and Jerry laughed as the two tore into him.

When he woke up Charley sat in bed a minute. The scary part wasn’t being torn apart, it wasn't Amy trying to kill him, it wasn't seeing his friends in a vampiric frenzy. It was Jerry standing there, letting Amy and Peter tear into him like he was nothing…like he meant nothing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! my second chapter in one day!

His bike was a piece of crap, an ugly, stupid, worthless piece of crap. “I am going to junk you, hear that! When I get home, I’m calling the Man, you know, the man who comes and hauls away junk, the Junk Man!” He looked crazy. Yelling at his motorcycle, walking down the road. He still had a few blocks till he got home. The good news was that it hadn’t fizzled out in the city, he could be grateful for that little miracle.

The bad news was that he had to push the bike to his house. At night. And now, Charley noticed, a truck was tailing him and wouldn’t go around, even though it could clearly see he was walking. He waved his hands, motioning the driver to go around, he didn’t need an annoying bystander trying to help just now. He was close enough to home to push it the rest of the way.

“What happened?”

Charley stopped walking and glared at the driver. “Broke down, pretty sure my carburetor is shot, it’s been acting up. How long have you been following me?” If Jerry had drove behind him since he’d started walking he was going to be pissed.

Jerry said, “Just now, thought I had an easy meal…nope.”

Charley gulped, glad to know he wasn’t going to be eaten, also took note never to hitchhike around Vegas or anywhere else that might have vampires. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just…pushing this piece of mechanized crap back to the house.” He started pushing it again and yelled back to Jerry, “If you get home before me,” he obviously would, “Can you let my mom know I’m on my way?” His phone was somewhere out in the desert, he’d drive back out in the morning to where his bike stopped and try to find it, but for now…yeah, no.

Whistling. His mom didn’t whistle. “Mom?” Charley walked over to the living room, Jerry was sitting on the couch. “Uh, where’s my mom?”

He looked back at Charley looking offended, “No hello?”

“Where’s my mom?” Charley asked, tossing his keys on the table and looking at Jerry annoyed.

“I ate her.” Jerry looked back at the tv, was he watching the Sopranos re-runs?

Charley sat in the chair and started taking off his shoes, “No, you didn’t. Where is she? Does she know I’m home or is she having a heart attack?” Jane didn’t tend to panic much, but she did when he was out too late. Not that he really blamed her anymore for that one.

Jerry leaned forward, “I said I ate her.” Looking Charley square in the face.

Charley leaned forward just as much, “No, you didn’t.” He sat his shoes next to the chair, “Now, I’m serious Jer. Where’s my mom?”

Jerry stared at Charley, was the boy serious? He’d just told him that he ate his mother and he wasn’t even affected. Was Jerry getting that bad at lying? Charley tilted his head, waiting for an answer.

The vampire huffed, “She went to store. She just left after I got here. Said she was glad to know you’re ok.” He’d lost his touch, in the few short months he’d known Charley and been spending time around humans more, he’d lost his touch.

“Good to know she isn’t panicking. She’s bad about that, you know.” Yes, he knew. “What’s on?” The sudden weight flopping down next to him made Jerry look over at the human. Charley was half on the couch half hanging on the arm and laying in what had to be the most uncomfortable position, head nearly into the cushion. He looked up at Jerry, mushing his head further in the cushion, “Well, what’s on the tv?”

Jerry looked at Charley. The human acted weirder every time he was around, although, from what he’d talked to Amy, and the little he got from Ed before he died, Charley used to be a bit of a dork. And, the more he got to know you, the more of the dork he was. Jerry bent down so his face was right in front of Charley’s, “Not much, left it on what your mom was watching. Comfortable?”

“Only logical thing to do. Quit and move to Mexico.” Charley sat on a stool over at Jerry’s, holding an icepack to his jaw.

Jerry growled, Charley actually found it to be…adorable. “Why didn’t you fight back?!” Although he couldn’t tell if Jerry was mad at him or mad because he got hurt.

Charley said, “I couldn’t. He’s my boss’s son, and he’s about 50 pounds more than me, and he’s meaner than a bulldog.” Charley looked over at Jerry, “It might surprise you, but I am still weak by human standards.” True, he’d put on a little muscle in the last year or so, but he still didn’t consider himself muscular.

Jerry fumed across the room, grabbing the icepack and looking under it. Charley’s jaw wasn’t broke but it was going to be bruised, it didn’t look that bad, and truthfully, Jerry liked seeing Charley fight for something. Jerry didn’t like seeing Charley lose said fights. “I have to find another job.” Charley rolled his head, turning it as Jerry moved him to see the rest of the damage. Why was Jerry checking him for damage?

“That shouldn’t be hard, big city.” Jerry moved back a few feet, grabbing an apple, content to sit against the counter instead of hovering over Charley for a few minutes. He was treating him like a fledgling, and Jerry was pretty sure Charley was starting to figure that out. If it wasn’t annoying Charley, it was annoying Jerry.

Charley shook his head, looking at Jerry he said, “I liked that job!” He took off the icepack and stood up, “I can’t believe he punched me like that. Son of a bitch!” Charley rinsed the icepack off, sitting in on a towel to dry before he’d put it in the freezer. Why did Jerry have icepacks in the freezer and so many of them? He could ask some other time.

Jerry barely hid his grin, seemed like his temper was starting to wear off on Charley. He couldn’t blame the boy, he’d been punched by his boss's son and lost his job because he tried to fight back, he still said that Charley could have won the fight if he’d actually tried. But, Charley insisted otherwise. He was mad about it, but Jerry was glad Charley was using that fighting spirit, keep it strong.

Charley slumped on the counter next to him, he tilted his head back and looked at Jerry. “How’s Amy?” Take his mind off it.

“Good, good. She hasn’t had any trouble since I started giving her and Peter more space.” Jerry took a bite of the apple. “Peter is doing better. When I was there last he hunted…and brought me someone.” Charley curled his lips in disgust but made an attempt to smile.

“That’s…good.” He tried.

Jerry grinned, ignoring Charley’s very obvious discomfort. “Yes. I told him, about you and Amy.”

Charley’s eyes widened and he gave Jerry a second look, he might not have heard him correctly. “You what?”

“I told him about you and Amy, dancing at the club, and after…”

“Why the hell would you tell him that?” Charley leaped away from the counter, turning to shout at Jerry.

Jerry laughed, “You honestly think he was surprised?”

Charley stopped and gave Jerry a weird look, “Why wouldn’t he be?” Although, it was starting to come into his mind just what Peter might have been thinking.

“Amy had been talking about you constantly, she was already bragging to Peter, annoying him mainly. I didn’t need to tell him.” Okay, not what Charley would have guessed. He was going to kill Amy when he saw her, and then he was going to kill Peter…and maybe Jerry, get rid of that last witness. “I just filled in a few more details for him.” Yep, he was definitely killing Jerry, too.

Jane stared at her son, sleeping at the kitchen table. He just got off work and within minutes was sound asleep. He was working second shift now, got a job at a local store, but he was up till dawn and spent all night over at Jerry’s, or Jerry was at their house, or they were both gone somewhere.

Charley would drag himself through work, come home and crash, sometimes. And, it seemed like Jerry was at his house even more now, when they first moved back he was only there about one day a week, then on weekends, now it seemed like he’d just leave and then he’s back again.

Tonight, thankfully, Jerry’s truck was gone. When did he get another truck, his old one got smashed? That meant Charley could rest, and sleep good. And she could rest knowing that her son wasn’t around a monster that could rip out his throat, or tear through the bottom of a minivan, or…she decided she wasn’t going to dwell on those things, no, Jane looked around. That book she had sitting on the end table, perfect. A nice relaxing read, and then she’d be quiet while Charley slept. Even though she knew she could be banging around the house and he still wouldn’t wake up. He slept like the dead anymore…nope, not going there again, Jane, just keep reading. He’s fine, he is just keeping very unhealthy hours and is refusing to listen when it is brought up.

Charley sat up and groaned, wiping the small trail of drool off his chin. What time was it? He looked up and saw it was after four o’clock, strange, why hadn’t Jerry called? It was Thursday, normally he’d call or come over, make sure Charley was up and going and they’d head into town. That way Charley wouldn’t be stuck out in the city on the busiest night but at the same time could party a little, and Jerry, when he wanted to, could actually be pretty fun, in his own way.

Why didn’t he wake him up? Charley had said it was ok to be out all night, he could just sleep when he got home that way he’d just wake up before work. He looked out the window…Jerry’s truck was gone! He blinked, maybe he decided to go without him, hunt, he’d said before he didn’t like hunting in those places anymore, too much attention now, but maybe. Charley didn’t want to call his phone, it might interrupt him, and the thoughts that he might be hunting made him feel a little sick. Charley just decided to head to bed, a proper bed, and sleep till he woke up. It’d feel strange waking up in the morning, it already felt strange going to bed at night.

Jerry paced in the living room of the new house, the one that he bought after he left Vegas. He wanted to be back at the old house, he wanted to spend the time with Charley…why? Anger filled him as he paced, the boy was a human, and he was spending more time with that human than he was with his own tribe. True, they were being taught how to fend for themselves but…he was a human.

He certainly had enough chances to fix that. Charley didn’t even show fear around him anymore, Jerry even bit him one of the last times they were in the city. He hadn’t used his fangs, but when he grabbed Charley and bit down the boy hadn’t known that! Charley didn’t show any fear, asides from the initial grab. He’d even relaxed into Jerry, a small laugh, and Jerry let him go. He’d let Charley have a couple drinks, mixed drinks that he could handle, this had to be the alcohol hitting him.

Now, he was confused. Jerry stopped the pacing when he heard movement in the basement. Wouldn’t do to have the others knowing he was worried. Peter already suspected Jerry was playing with his food, he didn’t think Jerry had really planned on letting Charley live not after what happened. But he did. He had planned on it, simply because it was different. The boy had managed to trick him completely and escape, and that deserved a reward in Jerry’s eyes. Living next door again, that was just fun. Charley always said something he didn’t expect, or did things he hadn’t thought of before, and made him think about things he normally didn’t.

“Heard you walking around?” Amy walked over to him, almost tip toeing. That wouldn’t do, he wouldn’t have his tribe scared of him.

He held out an arm and she leaned in, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m fine, just thinking.”

“Of Charley.”

He laughed, “Yeah,” She hummed and stayed where she was.

After a minute she said, “He feels different.”

Jerry looked down with a question, “What do you mean?”

“He…I mean, I don’t know how to say it. It’s like he’s…family.” Tribe.

Jerry stared down at her, but didn’t correct her. It was true. Then again, he had been spending a lot of time around the human…bonding, and forming that bond made him want to spend more time…which led to more bonding! “Damn it!” Jerry snapped, and Amy jumped back, not knowing what triggered the outburst.

He knew better! He knew better! That would also explain why Charley was starting to act a little different around him, the pheromones. He was told a while ago that each type of vampire had its own pheromones, and it was what helped a bonding tribe stay together. If he’d been around Charley as much as he had, then maybe his pheromones were starting to effect the boy.

He growled, annoyed that he hadn’t thought of it before. But Charley was human, that hadn’t stopped it from happening before. Jerry, vaguely, remembered the same thing happening to another vampire he’d known in Spain. It eventually turned out all right, but it created tension the likes of which Jerry hadn’t seen before then.

He looked over at Amy, who now stood a few feet from him not moving. He’d scared her! “Amy, come here.” He said, gently, lightly motioning for her. She was relatively skittish now, he couldn’t blame her. He’d came to the house the night before in a rage, not at her or Peter and he hadn’t hurt them but Jerry knew he scared them half to death. Amy walked back over and Jerry put his arm around her shoulders, steering them back to the basement.

“Tomorrow night I’m going back to Vegas. I need…to figure something out.” She gulped and looked at him.

“Don’t kill him, please.” She had grown re-fond of Charley, both as a boyfriend and…she didn’t really know what you’d call it.

Jerry huffed as he led them down to the basement, Peter was already asleep if he had to guess. “I won’t.” Jerry went over to her spot, a small hole that she liked and she tugged at him.

“Stay, today?” He didn’t normally rest in the ground anymore, but it did feel good every now and then. Maybe the extra rest would help his head clear. He packed the earth in around them and felt Amy nuzzle into his chest. They were both asleep in seconds.

Jerry drove the truck slowly, casually, like he didn’t want to reach his destination. A figure walking along the rode caught his eye. Again?

“What happened now?” He shouted of out of the truck, slowing to a stop to let Charley get it, he didn’t even have his bike.

Charley groaned as he opened the door, and Jerry noticed he smelled blood. “I skidded back a few miles, broke my phone, I think I twisted my ankle, and I got road burn on every inch of skin.”

A mild exaggeration but Charley felt he was allowed. How did he run into Jerry again? “Heading back into town?” Charley asked as Jerry pulled back on the road.

The vampire gave Charley the once over, he was cut up that was sure. “Going back home. We…” He gulped, why did he feel nervous telling the boy. “We need to talk when we get to the house.”

Charley laughed, then coughed, and laughed again. “You sound like my mom. What’s wrong?” He asked.

Jerry decided that he could bring it up, in parts. “You know how you and Amy act,” Like they’ll dissolve if they’re away from the other for very long, like if you tried to separate them they’d tear you apart.

Charley slumped into the seat a little, “Yeah…” He didn’t know where Jerry was going with this.

Jerry felt Charley’s unease, so he stopped. “Well, she said not to kill you.”

Charley cocked his head and grinned, “Glad to know.” He laughed. Jerry relaxed into the driver seat. He belonged, in one way, Charley belonged with them. He couldn’t force Charley to turn at this point, he’d formed a bond and betraying that now…Charley wouldn’t forgive him and it would break the tribe apart. How was he going to get Charley to turn?

(One hour ago)

Charley tried to keep his eyes open, but he was so tired. It was killing him, not getting enough sleep. The bad part, since Jerry had been gone a couple days, he hadn’t barely got any sleep at all. That shouldn’t be the case, Charley knew he should be sleeping better, but his mind wouldn’t settle.

And when it would settle…well, Charley wasn’t too surprised, but he certainly didn’t think his mind would take those turns all the time. Every time he’d try to _relax_ he’d end up thinking about Amy or Jerry, mainly Jerry. The worst part, it didn’t feel bad, it felt amazing.

The bike hit the gravel on the side of the road and Charley readjusted it back. Jerry had bit him, the last time they went to the club. He’d been drinking a little but he remembered that, Jerry holding him close and true Charley got startled by the initial grab, but when Jerry bit down, thankfully without fangs, Charley moaned. He’d been so embarrassed after, but Jerry had let go, he was just messing with Charley, so he never brought it up again. Was it bad that Charley wanted him to do that again?

The bike went off the road again, only this time Charley couldn’t pull it back fast enough. One second he was on the road, next skidding in sand and rocks. “Fuck.” He groaned, pulling his leg loose. It was dark, the headlight was smashed, Charley was cut up, and…where the hell was his phone? Uh, he was fairly certain that the broken glass in his pocket was where his phone used to be. Shit! He still had a while to go before he was back home, well, at least he’d be alone to think.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologizes for the wait, I had this written well over a month or two ago, but I just had to get the editing and work kinds got in the way.  
> Anyways, this is a rather long chapter.   
> Enjoy

Charley seemed a little more distanced than normal. Normally he was practically on Jerry when they sat on the couch, sitting right next to the older one and even resting his head on him, Jerry wouldn’t deny that he occasionally laid his head on Charley, mostly to annoy the teen.

Tonight Charley sat on the opposite end of the couch. He wasn’t stupid. Something was bothering Charley, and it was more than wrecking his bike. The boy was only a little scraped up, turned out, but the ankle was thoroughly sprained. He had it on Jerry’s table with an icepack, one of Jerry’s many.

Charley had said his mom was visiting a cousin just out of town so he didn’t want to bother her, she’d be back the next day. He didn’t want to spoil her trip. So he asked, after they got back in town, if he could spend the day at Jerry’s.

It didn’t feel normal sitting next to him, it felt like there had been a fight or something, but there hadn’t been. Jerry turned it to an action flick, generic tough guys with cars and explosions, good for a few laughs and maybe even a sexy scene thrown in for good measure. Charley didn’t laugh much, and he normally always laughed during those films.

He kept acting like he was going to move over but didn’t. Kept starting to talk, but stopped himself just before speaking. Jerry noticed and he could almost taste the mixed emotions, he could smell a hint of lust but also…fear? Why would Charley be afraid of him, he hadn’t been afraid before and he’d done much worse in front of Charley?

“I can smell fear, Charley,” Jerry said, still looking at the tv.

Charley looked over, confused. “Uh, I know. You told me before.” He turned back to the tv, unaware where Jerry was going with that random little factoid.

Jerry turned, facing Charley. “I can smell your fear, right now. Why?”

Charley looked back at Jerry and back to the TV, gulped. “Um, you sure you’re not smelling my cuts?” Charley motioned to some of the scrapes on his arms, legs, and face.

“No. Fear, Charley. Fear is a specific scent.” He closed the distance between them, inhaling right next to Charley’s face, he could hear the boy gasp and his heart flutter faster when he grabbed him. “I smell fear and lust, why?” If Charley was lusting cause of the movie that was understood, if he was lusting after Jerry he should just say so, he’d gladly help relieve that tension. But why the fear?

Charley gulped and looked between Jerry and where Jerry held his shirt, now he could really smell fear. He released the boy’s shirt but stayed sitting next to him, he demanded an answer to the question. His pulse didn’t slow and Charley’s eyes wandered, just slightly, over Jerry’s chest. “I can’t…” He gulped and looked around, praying that something would put him out of this misery and embarrassment. He shoved at Jerry, trying to dislodge the vampire but he wouldn’t move. “Let me up.” He said, “I need to go!”

Jerry held him down, grabbing him again. “No, you don’t. You need to answer my question, or I might think you’re hiding something from me.” He let go of Charley’s shirt only to grab his face and turn it towards his own, “And Charley, we don’t like it when neighbors hide things from us, remember?”

Fine, if Jerry insisted. “Why? I never…” Charley attempted to sit up but Jerry was still there, “Why am I attracted to you now?”

That was a question. Jerry let go of Charley’s shirt and stared at him and looked down at himself, true he hadn’t seen a reflection of himself in quite a long time, or a picture, but he had seen paintings and he knew he looked pretty good, by most people’s standards. Why the boy was attracted to him, maybe he liked the dangerous type? “I didn’t like you before, uh, not like, not like that. I mean…I liked Amy. I liked girls, Jerry! I still do. Why?” He looked Jerry over, “I don’t understand.” He gasped, trying not to cry.

That explained the fear. Jerry released Charley’s shirt and sat back, giving him some space. He didn’t understand it either, why he’d been treating Charley like tribe, when he wasn’t even a vampire. All the emotions he’d felt and he had 400 years to learn to cope with this…Charley had barely had 18. Charley sat at the end of the couch trying not to cry, leaning forward to Jerry then making himself lean back. Poor kid, he was trying so hard to be strong, so hard not to need him.

Talking softly Jerry said, “It’s ok, Charley. This isn’t the first time a human…” Ok, explaining tribe issues might not be the best choice right now, Jerry cut that conversation short. Maybe he had a better idea. He grabbed Charley’s face and tilted it up, and before the boy could protest, caught his lips in a, surprisingly, gentle kiss.

Well, it started out gently. Charley grabbed Jerry and held him, kissing him, exploring his mouth like there was a treasure to found there. Jerry growled, his fangs just barely showing. This was amazing! Who knew Charley was such a good kisser?

Charley shoved Jerry again, and this time the vampire listened, wondering what the boy was up to. Charley sat up and had to adjust his pants, Jerry chuckled, at the angle he’d been holding Charley that had to have been uncomfortable. Rolling his eyes Charley pulled Jerry back to him, running his hands along his chest. He needed this, he didn’t know why but he needed this.

Jerry leaned down to run his tongue along Charley’s face, the side with the scrapes. The hint of a taste of blood, the taste of Charley, the way he leaned up to Jerry’s touch. It was decadent. The moan came below him, and Jerry looked. Charley rocked his hips against him, so much like him and Amy had done in Jerry’s backseat. The vampire grinned, he could do that.

Jerry tugged Charley until the boy was just under him and rolled his hips earning a nice yelp out of Charley who soon caught on. Grinning, he pulled Jerry down to continue kissing him, both rocking their hips gently, then more forcefully. Soon Charley had to let go of Jerry’s lips and gasp for air.

Jerry held Charley down, the boy tried to sit up, “Jerry,” He whined, “I’m close,” He looked down at their clothed bodies and imagined, Jerry rocking into him, him holding Jerry while stroking his member. God, what had happened to him? Charley moaned again when he felt teeth on his neck. Blunt teeth, teeth that felt so good. He knew Jerry was restraining himself for him and he knew a way to repay Jerry for that.

Charley knew he was close, and he hoped Jerry was, too. “I know how to make you scream,” Charley whispered in Jerry’s ear. The vampire grinned and kept grinding his hips, waiting for Charley to elaborate. Charley tugged Jerry’s head to the side and started kissing his neck, giving him little licks and enjoying the moans that he let out.

Charley licked one spot, just so, and bit down. Jerry’s shock was obvious by the growl, but how Charley rocked into him at the same time, he was overstimulated in seconds. Jerry held Charley to his neck, enjoying the feel, he knew the boy hadn’t broken skin but it felt good.

Charley released Jerry’s neck as he felt his orgasm, holding Jerry’s shoulders tight enough that if he’d been human he’d likely been hurt. Jerry suddenly stopped rocking back and forth and Charley noticed that he too was gasping a little. He laughed and leaned forward into Jerry, letting his head rest lightly on the vampire’s, cold, chest. “Wow!” Charley gasped.

Jerry sat on the couch watching Charley sleep. Creepy, in a way, endearing, maybe. Just minutes before sunrise, he could feel the pull to sleep, and instead of doing just that he stood and watched the boy sleep. After their impromptu coupling Charley had relaxed and so had he. The boy explained everything that had been happening, how he’d been thinking about Jerry even if he’d been with a woman, or thinking about Amy…Jerry didn’t doubt that if he’d been around Peter he’d been thinking about him too, but he didn’t know why.

Jerry gave him a very mild version of what he suspected. He was affecting Charley by being around him, and by being around him Charley was affecting Jerry. As a general rule vampires didn’t associate prolonged with humans for reasons…such as things like this. Shame, Jerry was fairly certain his sire had mentioned something about socializing with humans once, but she’d also ripped out the throat of the human she’d been referring to so that might not be the example to tell Charley at the moment.

It made sense, in a way. Charley felt better knowing that he wasn’t going crazy, well, no more than the fact that he was willingly spending time with the undead…that he had shared boners with a member of the undead was a whole other level of crazy. Falling asleep came naturally, and he drifted off leaning against Jerry on the couch.

Eventually, the need for sleep won over and Jerry went down in the basement. He felt like he was leaving one of his own upstairs, in danger, but Charley was human.

He felt bad, leaving to go back to his house. First, he’d have to tell his mom about the accident. Second, he’d have to explain that he was in fact not hurt bad and that he’d be fine, this point would have to be repeated he was sure of it. Third, he had to leave Jerry alone.

What Jerry said that night made sense. Back when Jerry first came back and Charley only saw him every now and again, he didn’t feel anything except hatred and fear. Then, he started being around him a few days a week, slowly, he tolerated Jerry, heck, he began to enjoy his company, a little bit. Then, when Jerry was spending days around…Charley noticed he started feeling different around him. At first, he thought it was the location, or maybe alcohol, maybe even he needed to get laid, none of those helped with what he felt. Now it made sense, kind of.

His mom had a date! Holy crap. Charley laughed as she ran around the house trying to find her nice shoes, not the nice as in funeral shoes, but the nice as in she has a date shoes. The ones with the straps around the heels that she loved, and only wore for dates. “Who is he?” Charley teased.

“He works for another real estate company…”

“You’re dating the enemy?” Charley joked.

“…And he lives only a few blocks away…”

“Mom, what have you learned about dating in THIS neighborhood. I am shocked!”

“…And his name is Ken, Ken Dolt Kendal, try saying the whole name without messing up. I dare you.”

Charley waited till his mom was heading out the door, “Uh, are you forgetting something?” He shouted out to her.

Jane turned and did a quick check of her person, but she clearly didn’t notice what Charley thought she was missing. He held up her shoes, she’d left them in a dining chair while she was rushing around trying to get ready.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed the shoes. “Be good. You have today off work?” He nodded, he’d called in because of the accident, he was home for the day/night.

“Yeah, that means I’ll taunt you if you’re past curfew.”

Holding her shoes and heading to the car she said, “If you’re home make sure to do your laundry.”

Crap, he forgot about that. “Yeah, yeah, have fun.” He closed the door before his mom could remind him of any more chores he’d forgotten recently. It wasn’t like it was the first time he did laundry, or the first time he forgot to do laundry, or the first time he’d had to go to work with slightly used laundry because he forgot to do said laundry.

The laundry was almost done, Charley gave himself points for that. Humming to himself he walked to the kitchen, he deserved something to snack on. As he was making himself a sandwich Charley noticed Jerry’s house. What had he done last night? Charley knew what he did of course, but why in God’s name had he done that?

Jerry had said something about vampires and their tribe bonds, and that because Charley had been spending so much time with Jerry he had begun to affect Jerry, which in turn effected Charley. Charley could see how the cycle could only get worse at this point. But, was it worse? Charley felt good around Jerry, with Amy, and he…he couldn’t explain it, when he was around them he felt like he belonged. Which was weird, because he was probably the most out of place person around them.

Jerry felt rested when he came upstairs that night. Even if he didn’t feel skin to skin with Charley he still felt something, and that meant more than anything. However, he was starving! He’d been coming back to his house when he ran into Charley and he hadn’t hunted yet, come home, and spent the whole night with Charley. And, since he’d been gone all week he didn’t have a person upstairs.

It didn’t take him long to head out and quickly find someone. It didn’t matter if it was close by he needed someone, something fast. He chuckled as he tossed the body in the back of his truck, he’d bury it under the house so that it wouldn’t be found any time soon. She wouldn’t turn, he’d completely made sure she was dead, very dead.

As soon as he pulled into his garage and went inside Jerry could tell something was off. Someone had been there, someone was still…”Charley!” He yelled, trying to find the kid, but couldn’t quite place where he was.

Footsteps running across the upstairs, heading to the stairwell caught his attention. “I didn’t break in! You left the door unlocked, I thought you were here…you were gone.”

Jerry chuckled, “Really? Why’d you come over?” He had a body to dispose of, but it could wait till after Charley left. Didn’t want to scar the boy.

Charley trotted over, grabbing Jerry and laying his head on his chest. “I wanted to be here.”

He didn’t know why, but like the night before he just wanted to be with Jerry. They didn’t have to do anything, or…whatever, but he wanted to be around him. Jerry understood, in a way, and he wrapped his arms around Charley returning the hug. This was going to change, soon. He needed to bring Charley over, or leave and never come back. Because this was going to drive Charley crazy…or Jerry to insanity, he was already forgetting to feed properly, spending so much time with the human.

This could wait, however, for now, Jerry could enjoy the closeness. Could feel the bond…there wasn’t even a bond to feel, but it felt real. So much confusion even with his 400 years of experience in this and Jerry was still at a loss. He understood the basic idea of what happened, but how he let it happen. He could have killed Charley that night, he was just toying with him, enjoying the smell of the boy’s fear. Ultimately that had been his plan when he started returning to his old house.

He meant it when he told Charley that he was impressed and that he earned the right to live. But, he didn’t expect Charley to shut down. He’d play the hero like last time and Jerry would catch him in the act and wham! No more nuisance neighbor, loose ends tied up, and an interesting new member to his tribe. That wasn’t what happened. Charley had…stayed away. He didn’t acknowledge Jerry at all, even when he made sure his prey was extra loud so that he knew Charley could hear…nothing. The boy decided he wasn’t going to get himself or his mom killed.

In a lot of ways Jerry understood. Charley was smart, he knew he got lucky once but what were the chances of that happening again? Jerry smelled Charley’s hair and it smelled nice, unlike the night before there wasn’t any fear, not a trace. A hint of lust under everything but Jerry listened to the boy’s heartbeat, a treat he would miss, and he felt calm. A slow and steady rhythm and Jerry could almost be lulled by that sound alone. Charley looked up and made a scrunched face. “What?” Jerry asked, confused.

Charley tapped Jerry’s chest, “You’re sticky.” He let go of the vampire and Jerry looked down. He forgot about the blood on his shirt, Charley had his face in the woman’s blood. He hadn’t noticed at first but after a few seconds Jerry felt a little gross, and now it made sense.

“Let me fix that.” Jerry grabbed Charley’s chin and licked off the blood from his face.

When he was done Charley was giving him a look he couldn’t quite read. “That…was both gross and hot.” The boy laughed, wiping Jerry’s saliva off his face, yuck!

Jerry was reminded of the little task he needed to do. “Why don’t you head home for the night?” He asked.

Charley panicked. “What did I say? If it was because I said it was gross I didn’t mean it was THAT gross, just gross a little. I’ve definitely…”

“That’s not it.” Jerry was grinning and stroking the side of Charley’s head, soon enough the teen was tilting his head, unaware that he was presenting the perfect angle for Jerry to have his fill. “That’s not it…” He repeated, trying to re-focus on what needed to be done. “I just have some work to do, here, and you can’t help with it.”

Charley looked mildly bummed but understood, a little. “Fine. I should probably get home and find…something to do while my mom’s gone. Maybe video games, a movie. I’ll think of something.” He backed up and Jerry could tell the boy was worked up a bit now, poor kid. He knew the feeling, but he did have to get that woman buried. Having a corpse hanging out in his truck bed wasn’t something Jerry liked, not just because it was easier to find, but also smell, after a while even a fresh dead body could stink.

“When I’m done I can come over.” Jerry almost hit himself for offering, he needed some time away from Charley, yet here he was offering to spend more time with the kid.

The boy’s face brightened instantly, “Yeah, I can uh, pick a movie or something, sound good?” Jerry agreed. “O.k. uh, and popcorn, and I’ll get some pop, you like Coke?” Charley was asking as he as heading out the door, excited to be getting a movie set up to watch. Jerry was amused by his attitude but sad, Charley wouldn’t agree to turn, turning him by force would end badly, for both of them. The only humane thing, for both of them, was to leave.

It didn’t take long to bury her. When he was done Jerry went upstairs and looked around. Charley was going to kill him. He went outside and got in his truck and drove off before he would lose his nerve. It wouldn’t take too long to get to the other house if he didn’t stop or anything, just keep moving along.

Charley would be making the popcorn now he figured, maybe picking the movie, unless the boy wanted Jerry to pick one. This was cruel, and that said something for Jerry to think it was cruel. But it was worse to stay. He’d bonded with the boy, spent too much time with him for him to be prey, but he wasn’t tribe, not really. And that was the problem. Jerry knew he was treating Charley like a fledge in so many ways and that he needed to be spending that time with his actual children. The problem, Jerry realized, it hurt just as much to leave Charley behind as it did if he was leaving Peter and Amy forever. He gripped the wheel tighter and kept driving.

When Charley’s mom came home he was in bed. He’d made popcorn, had a two liter of Coke out, and had a Bourne movie sitting out. He’d obviously had a good night.

Charley sat in bed, he could hear his mom moving around downstairs. When Jerry had pulled out of his driveway Charley thought he’d be back soon, he’d said that the errands wouldn’t take long. That was almost two hours ago. He’d cried, Charley would admit it. It felt like being stood up, but worse. Jerry felt like a friend he felt like…family, in a way. Which was weird to think since he’d…well, Charley was still trying to figure out exactly what made him do that, but now he didn’t know what was going on at all.

Peter paced in the kitchen. Jerry was out with Amy, he’d been offered to go but declined, for once not because he didn’t want to hunt, but because his head wasn’t in it and he didn’t want to do something stupid. Jerry understood, Amy wasn’t on her top game either but she really wanted to get some frustration out and hunting was good for that, Peter disagreed.

So he paced, what else was he going to do? Jerry left Charley hanging! Without a goodbye, without letting them know! Peter hadn’t been around Charley since all this started but he’d learnt enough from Jerry and Amy. Whether Jerry wanted to admit it or not Charley was tribe, not a vampire, but he was tribe!

Amy had bawled when Jerry told them, and then she proceeded to try to rip Jerry apart, was promptly stopped by Jerry, and then started crying again. Peter simply stood there in shock, how could Jerry leave a member of the Tribe behind? He always said he’d never do that, only the thralls, miniony mindless things that just ate whatever Jerry threw them and acted like a buffer if someone tried to attack the nest.

Aka, the things in Jerry’s old house that attacked him in numbers. Peter still hated the brainless vampires, he might have held a grudge after turning, maybe he threatened to rip off the head of one or two…dozen of them. But Jerry didn’t leave him behind for it, he didn’t let Peter do anything he’d regret later when his proper mind returned to him. But he left Charley. Poor kid.

Amy didn’t act as bright as cheerful. Peter barely spoke to Jerry, not unless he was asking something important or asking for Amy. And Jerry felt like he lost something, like he was in mourning. And in a way, he was.

He’d turned Amy against her will, but she didn’t know enough about vampires, she didn’t know him yet. Peter had known more, about vampires and what they did, what their stages of life were, so turning him was harder. Even now, well over a year later and Peter was sill resisting many of the lessons Jerry was trying to teach him. Charley…he’d fight Jerry every step of the way. He knew almost as much about vampires as Peter, and he knew Jerry personally.

That left the option of Charley wanting to turn. He hated vampires, he was grossed out by blood and after what Jerry put him through before, there wasn’t any chance he’d come willingly. If he forced him it would be worse than death, Charley wouldn’t trust him again, might even make himself go crazy. Jerry had seen that play out before, made that mistake a few times, turned a human who knew too much but didn’t want it, and they went nuts, completely insane. Two of the ones he’d turned that went crazy killed themselves and took out some tribe mates with them. It wasn’t a mistake he’d ever make again.

It had been a week. No sign of Jerry even stopping at his house. Had something happened to Amy or Peter? Was Jerry ok? Did he do something wrong? Charley cleaned behind the cereal boxes, moving things around, trying to take his mind off his thoughts. It didn’t work for very long, but he tried.

Jane had brought her new boyfriend over, once, in passing. He seemed nice, and she really seemed to like him. Charley couldn’t resist teasing his mom a little, she always said she’d never date again, not after getting away from Charley’s father. But here she was, still playing the field.

Charley knew he seemed rude the day that Ken came over, but his mind was elsewhere. Jerry had been gone for three days, starting by the weekend. Normally, even on a short week, he’d be there Friday and Saturday. He’d said once that he liked it, gave Amy and Peter some freedom and gave him some peace away from fledglings. Of course, he also said that Charley might as well be his fledgling for how much time he was spending with him. Charley had joked that at least he didn’t try to eat the neighbor…maybe he’d taken the joke too far and that was why Jerry left?

His work was over too soon and he had to head home. When he got there he went right over, got out of the car and went over. No one was home. He’d tried now, every day. After Charley got the car he wanted to show Jerry, thought he might like to see it. But no, nothing. His truck wasn’t there and he wasn’t answering his cell. Charley had got Amy to tell him Jerry’s phone number once, though he’d never really used it, felt like he was saving it for a prank, this wasn’t much of a prank.

It had been almost two weeks. Jerry had nearly driven them all insane. Agitation was the default emotion for all of them and Amy more or less stuck to herself. It was less painful that way. She’d been close to Charley once, lost him, didn’t notice for months (the first couple months she wasn’t fazed by him not being there, kind of normal for a fledgling), then got him back for a short while, and now he was gone again.

The worst part was that she understood the reason for the distance, Charley would rather die than be a vampire, and could hurt or kill them if they tried to force him. Jerry was doing what he needed to do to protect them…and Charley. He still could have told Charley he was leaving so that he wouldn’t have been left in the dark. A little warning to her and Peter would have been nice too.

Jerry was laying out in the new backyard, a slab of cement he’d removed and just kept because the new house didn’t have a back porch and it worked fine for a makeshift area. “You haven’t hunted tonight.” It was Peter, who was standing just behind Jerry, looking at him with a type of concern. Normally this reminder was being stated the other way around, it just didn’t feel right.

“I’ll hunt soon, maybe you and Amy would like to hunt together.” Jerry hadn’t really felt like hunting much, a sort of depression. He knew he’d get over it, he knew that he’d feel better soon, but it certainly didn’t feel soon enough for his liking.

A body laid down next to him and Jerry reached an arm out to shove Peter, playfully. His hand hit something…painful. Jerry hissed and jerked his arm back to find Peter holding a cross or at least holding a towel holding an over mitt holding a cross. “Why do you have that?” Not something a vampire normally carries around.

Peter looked down at it, Jerry could tell he certainly didn’t like having it. “It’s Charley’s.” What. “Amy said he gave it to her when you moved in, to keep her safe. She joked with him about it and such. Never wore it. But, it was in her pocket that night.” In the basement. “She wants him to have it back.”

“Why didn’t Amy bring in to me?” Jerry asked, glad when Peter wrapped it up and sat in on the concrete slab.

“She tried, but she didn’t want to make you mad again.” Jerry might have let his temper slip a few times the past couple weeks. He hadn’t harmed any of his children but he knew he wasn’t caring as much as he normally did. If one of his was afraid of him he’d failed, or had failed to keep himself under control in his own home.

Jerry reached out and picked up the bundle, “If he gave it to her why would he want it back?”

Peter shrugged, “How the fuck should I know? Amy gave it to me, said Charley gave it to her, said she wants him to have it back, alright! Just take it back to the boy before she has a fit!” Peter huffed and looked around looking older, which isn’t something a vampire should look. “I’m about to pull my bloody hair out with all this.” He meant to say it under his breath, but that’s hard to do with a creature with supernatural hearing sitting right next to you.

“Why would you be stressed? You never even met Charley, recently.” Jerry stood holding the bundle close and walking to the truck to sit it in the passenger seat, that way he wouldn’t be tempted to toss it.

Peter followed, walking close behind. “I do live here, remember.” He leaned on the truck, watching Jerry. “I hear the talks, I hear the arguments.” He leaned over and did an exaggerated sniff, “I can smell fear, too, Jerry. What’s wrong?” He asked, concerned for his sire, an emotion he hadn’t felt much since turning.

Jerry didn’t like this. He didn’t like feeling like he needed to be looked after, especially by his own children. A head rubbed up to him and Jerry looked to see Peter laying his head on his shoulder, much like he had done that night in the basement when he finally woke up. He ran his fingers through Peter’s hair, gently tugging at the snags, “I’ll be fine.” He knew Peter didn’t believe him, hell, he didn’t believe himself. But what could he do?

The truck moved along the same road like it had hundreds of times before, but something was different this time. Jerry didn’t have any intention of coming back, he was going to give Charley back the necklace, carefully wrapped in hand towels so Jerry didn’t have to touch the damn thing, and then he was going to leave. Maybe the tribe might move again, maybe California, maybe Texas, he hadn’t been there in a while.

When Jerry opened the door to his house he was caught off guard. Someone had been in there, he took a step forward and listened…there was someone upstairs! Jerry sat his package down and made his way up stairs, quiet as the predator he was. He followed the scent, and the sound. He opened the door to his study and found…Charley sitting at his desk, looking through one of Jerry’s many books, tears having dried on his cheeks leaving small red streaks where the skin was agitated.

Obviously, he hadn’t heard Jerry come in. The vampire stood there, watching Charley flip through the book, it wasn’t anything special he didn’t think, just a book on old weaponry. He’d told Charley one time the weapons in that book that he’d actually used, not that many, since he normally used his own natural weapons. But, he remembered Charley was fascinated, this was also right when Jerry was noticing he was spending far too much time with the human.

“Hey,” Charley leaped out of the chair and spun around, looking like he was going to try to fight.

“Jerry!” He yelled. Before Jerry could move Charley ran at him, wrapping his arms around him and holding on for life.

Jerry went to move his arms and Charley held tighter, Jerry could move him off, but he decided to wait, let the boy give him one last hug. He wasn’t coming back to the house after all.

After a couple moments Charley pulled away and Jerry could see a few fresh tears, although these seemed to be happy tears. “Where were you?” It had been over two weeks! He’d thought something happened!

Taking a small step back away from Charley Jerry said, “Home.”

Charley looked confused and then in an instant terrified, “Amy…Peter…are they…” He trailed off, couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“They’re fine.” Jerry walked back in the hallway. “Amy had something to give you, it’s downstairs.” He’d planned on dropping it off over at Charley’s and leaving tonight, but apparently things were not going to go according to plan, again. Charley seemed to be a built in jinx to all plans of his, it made things interesting around him that was for sure.

“What?” Charley almost ran to keep up with Jerry’s strides, he just wanted to give the kid this thing and leave. It was hurting him even more than it was going to hurt Charley he was sure. He’d lost multiple children over the years…he doubted Charley had lost that much.

He pointed at the bundle dropped on the end table, “There.”

Charley gave the hastily wrapped bundle a weird look. “Uh, thanks for wrapping it, I think.”

“It was for me.” Jerry said, he motioned to the item when Charley gave him a look, “Just open it, you’ll see,”

Charley seemed to pick up on Jerry’s attitude and looked at the package. It was smallish, seemed to have more wrapping than item he realized, as he worked it open. A shiny metal item caught his attention finally, it was a cross, a small metal cross necklace to be precise. “Uh, why is Amy giving me a cross?” Not the gift he would expect from a vampire, although it did explain the weird wrapping so Jerry didn’t have to touch it.

“You gave it to her, she wanted you to have it back. Said it seemed fair since she can’t wear it.”

Charley looked at the necklace, confused, and back to Jerry. “I never gave her a cross necklace.” He shook his head.

“Amy said…” Jerry paused, Amy hadn’t said, Peter said Amy said, he’d never checked with Amy. Peter said Amy was all choked up about, not to bring it up, he was going to kill him when he got home. “I’m going to kill Peter.”

“Uh,” Charley started, “Why?” He was still holding the cross necklace in his hands, the previous question still very relevant.

Jerry stalked over and looked at the necklace. “You are sure you didn’t give that to Amy?” Charley nodded.

“I think I would remember giving my girlfriend a necklace. I mean, it’s not nothing.” Charley looked up at Jerry, who now was glaring at the necklace, “You want me to wrap it up again?” He was obviously mad about something but Charley didn’t know what, but he did know he didn’t want to add fuel to that fire.

Jerry shrugged and stomped to the other end of the room. He was going to kill Peter as soon as he got home! This…This…This was humiliating, it was painful, it was…Charley stared at him, terrified. “What?” He snapped.

“I’ll…” He choked on his words and tried again, “I’ll get going, uh, thanks.” He didn’t want Jerry to leave for two weeks again, maybe if he left now Jerry would cool down. He went to walk past Jerry but he held out his arm, stopping Charley in his tracks.

Jerry was still mad at Peter, but Charley shouldn’t be afraid of him…why not, he was human? That didn’t matter, not anymore. “Stay.” He wasn’t going to see him any more after tonight, might as well leave the boy on a good note.

Charley nodded and looked around, “Want to sit and talk, what have you done the last few weeks?” He slowly made his way over to the couch, still weary of Jerry’s attitude, wiping his eyes as he sat down.

The smell of fear wasn’t what Jerry wanted, but he didn’t say anything yet. Charley would calm down if Jerry sat down and they talked, he always did. So they talked, Jerry explained the last couple weeks had been quite dull on his side. He was shocked when he heard Charley got a car and went to the window to take a look, sure enough, there was a car sitting at the house. “Nice color.” It was red, bright, bright red. Looked like stop sign red under the streetlight.

Charley chuckled, “I hate it.” He laughed, “But, it was cheap and it runs good. I like the car itself, nice shape and all.” He stopped talking for a while, trying to get Jerry to talk more, tell him something about the last couple weeks. The smell of fear remained, and Jerry finally asked why he was so afraid tonight.

Charley flinched, it was small but Jerry saw it. Why? “I…” He choked again, trying not to cry. “I’m sorry.”

Sorry? “For what?” Jerry didn’t think Charley did anything to apologize for, he was the one that left for two weeks.

Charley looked down at the couch cushions, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you when you had things to do.” He saw Jerry’s confused face, “Last time I was over here.” Two weeks ago, Jerry almost forgot about having shoved Charley away so he could bury that body. Wait a minute.

“I wasn’t mad about that, Charley.” He hadn’t been mad at Charley at all, himself, yes. He learned a long time ago that spending this much time with a human was bad, for all parties involved. Now, he’d spent way too much time with Charley and he’d bonded with the human, learned to like him, and worse, Charley was effected by his pheromones just like a fledge. It wasn’t right! But, it wasn’t Charley’s fault, it was his.

His words, which he meant to calm the boy, seemed to make him panic more. “I’m sorry.” He looked to be in a panic, “I, what did I do?” He looked at Jerry and Jerry really didn’t know what Charley was asking. “What did I do to make you mad? I mean, you’ve never been gone that long. Did I say something, do something, did I act…wrong? The night before…”

Jerry finally understood Charley’s questioning. He was scared he’d done something wrong, something Jerry didn’t like, that night they’d been together in the living room. He was scared…of what? “You were fine.” Jerry didn’t understand the massive amounts of fear, maybe the boy had gone crazy.

“Then why did you leave?” He cried. Tears were starting in the corners of his eyes. “I waited. Nothing. I thought you had more stuff to get done and it hurt a little, but hey,” Charley waved his hand, “Shit happens. Next night, no truck, next night, same! And again, and again, …” Charley was crying now, tears down his face. “I thought you were…that something had happened.” He didn’t know why he was crying, it wasn’t that bad if a vampire died, only it was to him.

Jerry moved across the couch and pulled Charley over to him, shit, he didn’t expect this. “I wasn’t hurt, I just needed space. Needed to think.” Needed to get away from Charley and try to get back to normal life as a vampire instead of living almost like a human! Charley sobbed into his shirt but soon got himself under control. This was going to kill him.

“I’m leaving again, tonight.”

Charley nodded, wiping his eyes. “That’s fine. When you coming back?” He sniffed.

Jerry shook his head, slowly. “I’m leaving, Charley. Me, Amy, Peter, we’re leaving. I’m going to get someplace else, someplace different.” They had stayed in the same area for too long, Jerry didn’t like it.

Charley stared at Jerry, and for a few seconds his face was unreadable. He didn’t look scared, sad, or angry, just blank. Charley took a gulp and looked Jerry over, he was wasn’t joking, he determined. “Kill me,” Charley said.

Jerry blinked, “What?” He hadn’t heard Charley correctly.

Charley looked down at the wrapped necklace in his hands, “You can’t take me with you?” It was a question, but Jerry knew that Charley knew the answer. “Then if you can’t bring me with you, please, kill me. I can’t…” He choked and stopped before he started crying again. “Fuck!” He yelled, throwing the wrapped across the room not caring where it landed or if it broke anything.

Jerry sat there and waited for Charley to calm down, but he wasn’t. This would be expected…if Charley was a tribe member, but he wasn’t. Jerry tried calming him but he got panicked distraught and angry, followed by outbursts. Charley wasn’t trying to leave, though. He just paced or walked to the kitchen and would walk back, end up standing next to Jerry. Even angry he still felt more comfort near the vampire than away.

Charley sniffed, head resting against the wall, Jerry stood next to him waiting on him to calm down. Jerry hadn’t been able to say anything for a few minutes, Charley had been yelling enough for the two of them. He was almost impressed with the boy’s sudden use of language, maybe he _had_ been talking to Peter somehow.

“I’m serious.” Charley whispered, throat hoarse from all the screaming and yelling he’d done the last few minutes.

Jerry reached over and ran his hand over Charley’s head, “About what?” Charley had said quite a few things ranging from staking Jerry to drowning Jerry in a tub of holy water, he said he’d find a way to bless a whole tub he was sure. He knew the boy didn’t mean his threats.

Charley turned his head so he could look at Jerry. He looked so worn, like he hadn’t slept and Jerry wondered just how much Charley had been sleeping since he’d been gone. “Kill me or take me with you.”

It wasn’t any sort of question, Jerry knew this part of Charley was serious. “I can’t, Charley. A human living with vampires is a bad idea, I’ve seen it.” He’d made that mistake before he wouldn’t do it again.

“Then turn me.”

Jerry stared, what did Charley just say. “Turn me. I want to go with you.” He sounded a little less crackly now, voice starting to clear from all the crying.

Jerry’s hand was still resting on Charley, he hadn’t moved it. He wanted to think Charley was serious but he’d made it clear before, and if he was exaggerating and Jerry turned him…”You don’t mean that.”

Charley stepped away from the wall and looked at Jerry, “Yes, I do. Take me with you! If you have to turn me…do it!” He looked desperate. “I need to be with you. I’ll go crazy. I felt…I felt like I lost another parent.”

Jerry hadn’t thought of that before. He’d left without saying goodbye and Charley thought he’d been mad at him. Charley stood there, eyeing Jerry. “I am serious.” He said, stepping closer for emphasis. “Take me with you, or kill me if you can’t.”

Jerry pulled Charley in and rested the boy’s head on his chest. If he meant it, he would. “Do you want me to dull it, like I did for Amy, less pain in the bite?”

Charley gulped and nodded, he didn’t think being bitten in the neck would feel very good.

Jerry moved his hand and Charley saw the nails looked like claws, he’d remembered that before, from over a year ago. Jerry took a nail and made a small cut by his neck, right where Charley was resting his head. Jerry heard him make a small gasp, but he let his head be guided to the wound. He would have kissed him with the blood, but truthfully he didn’t feel Charley would have appreciated that theatric at the moment.

Only a few drops, that was all Charley needed, and soon enough he drifted away from the wound and Jerry had to stop himself from grabbing the boy's lips, covered in blood and smiling, just a hint of a grin, but it was still there.

Leaning his head down Jerry savored the scent, there wasn’t any fear…he hadn’t noticed the fear was gone, but the last few minutes had been nothing but anger and sadness. Now, there wasn’t any of that, just a calm heartbeat and relaxed lean, Charley’s hand was resting on Jerry’s back, and he kept slightly leaning away, swaying where he stood.

He sank his teeth in Charley’s neck and savored the taste. It was sweet as young blood tends to be, and as he drank he could feel Charley’s heart rate slowing down. The boy still held his back as tightly as he could, no doubt trying not to be afraid knowing that he was essentially dying.

When Charley went limp Jerry released him, the thud thud of Charley’s heart fading and would soon stop entirely. The blood before the bite would also help Charley awaken faster, it worked in the past. He looked so peaceful, slightly morbid with the bloody mouth, but peaceful. His loose curls, he’d grown his out a little bit Jerry hadn’t noticed that before, hung around his face.

Jerry carried Charley downstairs to rest, he needed to be in the ground to finish the change. It made all the difference. Jerry debated when he got down, but decided he would sleep in the same hole, let Charley wake up knowing he was there, his sire was there.

He wouldn’t be the same, not for a while. Newborn fledglings never were, they didn’t get much of their personalities back sometimes for a few weeks. Some only took days, for example, Ed had his more or less back to normal in two nights, Jerry thought that was impressive. Peter knew more about what was happening to him so he got his personality much faster, Amy took a while. Charley, Jerry figured it would only take a maximum of a week since he was already very acclimated to vampires, his mind already knew, somewhat, what was going on.

“Where is he?” Amy asked, walking back and forth in front of the porch at the new house. Jerry said he’d be back last night but he never showed up. Peter and her had slept down in the basement, but they both kept waking throughout the day, every noise unsettling them, it might be a hunter, it might be Jerry, they didn’t know. Neither would admit it of course, they weren’t children and they shouldn’t be getting spooked by little noises, but they still did.

Peter leaned against the front porch post, smoking the fourth cigarette he’d smoked since they went outside for the night. “How the fuck should I know?” He wasn’t going to panic, that wouldn’t help, but Peter knew their sire didn’t just leave on a whim, but he had left Charley, soooo.

He wondered how Jerry reacted when he found out the necklace hadn’t been Amy’s idea. Charley deserved a chance to say his goodbyes. Jerry wasn’t going to give him that, so Peter had to make him. “Hungry?” He asked Amy, for about the fourth time in a half hour.

She shook her head, “No.” It was rare for her to say that, for either of them to mean it. Peter still tended to say it but he didn’t really mean he wasn’t, he still was having a hard time hunting, but he’d been trying to be better at it. Jerry going away on weekends had helped, they both had to find a way to feed for a few days.

As much as Peter wasn’t a fan, he had taken to being a snacker, as he called it. He’d find someone, either lure them home or knock them out, and put them in the rooms Jerry had built in the new home. They weren’t exactly like the old ones, but they served their purpose. Peter could feed for a couple days with just one person, it made it so much easier for him. He couldn’t imagine it felt nice for his food though.

A sharp ringing startled both of them and Amy ran to grab her phone. She wasn’t allowed to give Charley her number, Jerry didn’t want her getting ideas of going back to the old house by herself, it was truly for her own safety, but still. Jerry! “Where are you?” She asked, trying not to sound too worried.

He chuckled, she knew she sounded worried. “I’m leaving soon, it won’t take us too long to get back.”

“Us?” Who did he have, a hitchhiker, food?

“Hey, Amy!” She heard a loud voice, giggling in the background. Charley sounded almost drunk!

“Charley’s coming. Be home soon.” Jerry hung up.

Amy stared at her phone, Jerry never was one for phone manners, she’d learnt this a while back. Peter stood next to her looking gobsmacked, “Charley’s coming?” Uh, he wasn’t certain but he didn’t think a human would do well living with them. Maybe he was just coming here to say goodbye to them, they both looked back and forth not knowing what was going on. At least they knew Jerry was alright. “Hungry?” Peter asked, again. This time he was willing to admit he was hungry, they hadn’t fed the night before because they were going to go feed when Jerry got back, but that hadn’t happened.

Amy nodded, “Now, yes. Let’s go. When Jerry gets back, I’m going to kill him.”

“I’ll hold, you punch.” Peter added as they walked out of the house, they didn’t have a car but they could find someone nearby, even if they had to share.

Jerry’s truck pulled in the driveway and Charley leaped out, almost bouncing with his steps in the driveway. Peter and Amy stood on the porch and both couldn’t believe their eyes. “Charley?” Peter walked over to him. Last time he’d seen Charley he was dressed head to toe for war, covered in a body suit in a dimly lit basement. Now, he’d grown out his hair to where it was just above his shoulders and he filled out a little. And he was dead.

Peter looked back and forth between Jerry and Charley and Charley looked happy. “I don’t care! Get over here!” Peter grabbed him and held him in a tight hug, “You little shit!”

Amy had already ran over and stood next to Charley, awkwardly standing there, waiting to hold her…were they still considered dating, she didn’t know. She turned to Jerry, “You scared us.” He raised an eyebrow. “You said you were coming back last night, that you wouldn’t be gone that long. We thought something happened to you.”

“We thought maybe Charley had actually bagged himself a vampire.” Peter said, keeping his voice relatively low since they were outside. He’d released the boy and let Charley stand next to Amy, catching a glimpse of him looking around at the new sights.

“He did, kinda.” Amy added.

The new place was nice, for Indiana. Why Indiana, none of them knew. Jerry had picked a location and off they went. It was awkward and it was even weirder since they had a fledge with them. Charley, and Jerry wished he’d planned it better, couldn’t keep his hands to himself for a while. They all expected this, because they were all like that for a while. The pheromones were enough to drive any new vampire crazy.

What Jerry didn’t expect was that Charley had actually a lot of his personality back to normal after only a couple days, and that he was a VERY good hunter when he wanted to. That was the operative part, when he wanted to. Jerry would work with him on this, just like he worked with Peter and Amy on their hunting methods. Took time, and patience, and maybe a few death threats when they annoyed him too much, not that he meant them, and they knew he didn’t.


End file.
